For Love, Utopia, and a Perfect Sandwich
by Shaetil
Summary: A futuristic AU. The world government has legalized the use of human subjects in gene-altering experiments, and the underground is working to steal them. With the government now producing highly efficient human weapons, and the underground increasing in violence, can two men on opposite sides of the fight find a connection? ZoSan (MxM) Rated M for language and maybe future lemons.
1. Chapter 1

I claim no ownership of anything One Piece. Not much else needs to be said. I hope you enjoy the ride.

* * *

1.

People flowed around him in a constant rush as he followed his feet. Horns blared as traffic snarled in the skyways three stories above. It didn't matter that he had lived here for three years already, Zoro just could never get to his favorite diner on the first try. Needing to get his bearings, he tried to stand out of the way of other pedestrians as he searched for any familiar buildings. The heavy traffic of aero-cars humming by overhead were making it difficult to spot any landmarks, and the pushy crowds on the ground weren't helping either. Zoro growled in irritation as yet another passerby stepped on his foot. Wanting to get off the street quickly, he decided to go left. He should have just done that from the start. The diner was south from his apartment anyway, and south was definitely left… He hoped so anyway.

Zoro found himself in an unfamiliar, dank alley. Piles of junk and overflowing dumpsters restricted his vision in both directions. He ran a hand through his short, green hair and glared at the gloom around him. Honestly he was having a hard time picking whether it was best to continue or to go back. While struggling with maybe admitting to himself that he may be a _little_ turned around, the distinct sounds of a violent fight caught his attention. Adrenaline shot through his system in an instant as he gripped the badge inside his jacket pocket and sprinted toward the action. A small squeeze of anxiety gripped his chest as he remembered he was unarmed. Zoro could take of himself just fine in hand-to-hand combat, but weapons were his specialty. He just felt a bit naked when not armed the teeth.

A pained cry echoed off crumbling brick. Zoro set his jaw and mentally prepared to do some damage. He dodged around a moldy dumpster to see a brilliant shaft of light illuminating the opposite entrance of the alley. Sparkling like polished gold in the sun, a lean figure flowed backward onto his hands and lashed out with his feet, felling the last few bodies still upright. Zoro had never seen anyone fight quite like that. Flexibility and sure grace were married with impressive killing power in a way that made his blood burn for a fight like liquid fire in his veins. It was so different from the methods Zoro had been instructed in by the force, and just as distinct from the ugly street-fighting he had grown up with. His heart was trying to pound out of every point of his body, and his concentration narrowed to sight even the tiny glinting lights of sweat misting from golden hair. Zoro was so stunned he hadn't realize his feet had stopped moving. The object of his interest jabbed at one of the bodies with a foot before seeming satisfied the fight was done. He glanced up at Zoro before strolling casually toward another unconscious man. The brief eye contact set the world in motion again. Zoro blinked as his training finally kicked in; blonde hair and light eyes, about his same height, no obvious marks or tattoos… not anyone on the list. The blonde bent and scooped something off the ground and strode off without even a backward glance.

Zoro's limbs finally lurched into action as his feet seemed to follow the blonde fighter of their own accord. He had to catch this guy, to talk to him, to fight him until they were both bloodied and… to arrest him for beating the shit out of five grown men? Zoro spared the unconscious bodies a long enough glance to identify them as part of a well known gang of thugs. So no need to arrest the blonde then; the guy was no doubt just defending himself. He jogged out of the alleyway, head twisting this way and that to try and locate the alley fighter once more.

A distant flash of gold and Zoro spotted his target… handing a purse over to the wrinkliest old lady Zoro had ever seen. Her abundant wrinkles increased further as she smiled and waved to her already retreating benefactor. Zoro felt the adrenaline leave him in a rush. The blonde had fought like _that_ over a pickpocketing incident? It was almost laughable that a fight that had gotten him so riled was over some ratty old purse. He sighed in resignation as he realized he had already completely lost sight of the fighter in the crowded street. Shoving his hands deep into his jacket, Zoro followed the current of the crowd and contemplated his present sparring partners. Maybe it was time to look for someone who could really push him in his hand-to-hand styles.

Coming back to attention, Zoro looked up and found himself in front of a seedy looking bar he'd never heard of before. The name East Blue Baratie flickered overhead in faded neon. Giving up on his favorite diner for the night, Zoro shrugged to himself and went inside. The interior was much nicer and cleaner than the outside suggested. Neat tables with sparkling linens sat ready for guests. Only a few patrons were occupying seats and most of them were at the gleaming, dark wood bar. Zoro recognized a few of his favorite alcohol brands displayed behind the counter. Maybe this place would be his new favorite? A wide grin settled on his features as he eagerly moved to take an empty stool. A massive, blue-haired cyborg eyed him from another stool. Zoro nodded in acknowledgement. The big guy flashed a smile and leaned back to shout at the kitchen doors. "Oi! Sanji! There's a suuuper new customer here!"

"Quit shouting in my fine establishment you ugly pile of rusting junk!" The screaming response was accompanied by the kitchen doors bursting open to the hit the walls with a bang. Zoro's eyes widened as he found himself face-to-face with the blonde fighter he'd seen earlier. A blue-eyed gaze glared into his. "So what will you have green guy?"

Zoro couldn't get his voice to work for a shocked moment. The blonde, Sanji, rolled his visible eye. Zoro noted with interest that he could only see one sky-blue eye; the other was obscured behind a fall of golden bangs. Also he had _curly_ eyebrows. What was with that?

Sanji smirked, "Well now, not too bright are you?" Zoro glared and opened his mouth to speak but was completely ignored as Sanji turned away. "The house combo is good enough for you." He glanced back over his shoulder, "You haven't eaten yet, right?" Zoro's mouth snapped shut and he automatically put a hand over his sadly empty belly. Sanji scowled. "Che, I thought not. Dumbass green guy, trying to drink on an empty stomach."

"O-oi I have a name!" Zoro finally found his voice.

"I don't caaaaare!" The irritating blonde sing-songed as he vanished back into the kitchen.

Zoro growled and clenched his fists tight, overcome with a powerful urge to put a dent in that smirking blue-eyed shit.

"Whoa, whoa bro. Calm down okay?" The cyborg from before leaned closer. "Sanji is always like that to men. Don't take it personally. My name is Franky. How'd you come by this hole-in-the-wall?"

Zoro released his anger in a slow breath and firmly shook the massive hand that was offered him. "I'm Zoro. I just ended up here; wasn't paying any attention really."

Franky laughed loudly. "You're something else bro!"

Returning the grin, Zoro leaned back and fully relaxed again. "Hey Franky, are you military issue or something? I don't think I've seen any cyborgs built like you before."

"Well that's a suuuuper long story, but I'm not military. Not anymore. They did some of the work back in the beginning, but most of my suuuuper bod is my own work!"

Zoro rested his arms on the bar and examined the cyborg closely. "Really? You did that yourself? That is impressive."

Franky preened under the praise. "I've always been suuuuper handy with parts and tools, so this was nothing really!" He leaned forward, excitement written all over his features. "You should see the other stuff I build…!"

A plate of food clacked down sharply in between their conversation. Zoro wouldn't admit to startling back at all. Nope. He just wanted to keep his distance from the blonde, that was it. On the plate in front of him steamed a beautiful sandwich, and-oh god, was that _real_ bacon? Zoro had no idea when the last time was that he'd had anything other than government issued substitute. Eagerly he grabbed his precious bacon sandwich, resplendent with fresh tomatoes and lettuce, and took a big bite. Franky sat back and chuckled at his new pal's expressions. He knew from personal experience just how amazing Sanji's food could be. Sanji returned again with a full mug of cold beer and set it by Zoro's plate. Frowning and reaching out, he flicked Zoro hard right in the middle of his forehead. "Are you a damn caveman? Get your elbows off my bartop! Are you even chewing that properly?"

Zoro's eyes were glazed in happiness as he hummed in response then obligingly shifted his elbows off the counter. Sanji raised a brow. "Is it good?" His voice had dropped to a much gentler tone.

Swallowing the last bite of sandwich, Zoro looked sadly at his clean plate. "Is there any more?"

Sanji straightened with a smirk. "Maybe. Ask politely like a good boy and I might think about it."

Zoro scowled and grabbed his beer. "Bite me."

Laughing, Sanji cleared the dishes away only to return a second later with a small bowl of salted nuts. "You're welcome asshole."

Before he could leave again, Zoro set down his beer and asked, "Do you always fight in alleys for old ladies' purses?"

Sanji froze, "Saw that huh? I knew I'd seen that mossy head of yours before."

"Where did you learn to fight like that?"

"What's your name anyway? Should I just call you moss man?"

"No! Fuck you, my name is Zoro! Where did you l…"

Sanji snorted a laugh. "What kind of a name is that? Sounds like a brand of soap!" Zoro sulked over his mug and Sanji just smirked. "Couldn't help myself there. Anyway my old man taught me to fight, and god only knows where he learned it from."

"Oh." Well that explained things some. No military training at all then. Zoro sneered. "I guess I should have known when I saw those dancing steps of yours. Those thugs must have been blind or blind drunk to get knocked out by your pansy ass!"

Sanji flushed with anger and leaned until he was nearly nose-to-nose with Zoro. "You think you can take me? Huh?"

Zoro grinned and leaned back on his stool, crossing his arms. "Oh I know I can."

"Name a time and place!" Sanji's blue eyes were practically spitting out flames of rage.

"Tomorrow, ten in the morning at Logue Gym?" Sanji agreed with a curt nod. Zoro's smile was wide and fierce as he stood and slapped some bills on the bar. He strolled casually to the exit before turning once more, "I've had better sandwiches made by toddlers, shit-cook!"

He ducked out the door just in time to hear the bowl of nuts shatter on the doorframe. He grinned in satisfaction at having gotten in the last jab. Zoro had to admit, fighting verbally with Sanji had been fun, and Franky seemed like a cool guy. He would make sure to come back soon. Maybe he could get another amazing bacon sandwich if he played his cards right. For now though it was time to get back to the apartment. He wanted to shower and change before his shift. Zoro dug out his phone to hail a cab. Unconsciously he ran his tongue over his teeth as he waited. The taste of bacon was still in his mouth. Getting lost was worth it sometimes.


	2. Chapter 2

2.

* * *

Sanji still stood, shaking in anger, long after Zoro had vanished. Franky suddenly let out a low chuckle, not even flinching when Sanji redirected his murderous glare to include him. "He seems like a suuuuper cool bro. Not many guys have to balls to fight with you, Sanji!"

Sanji's glare softened into a frown. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Doesn't mean I have to like the shitty asshole though." Franky laughed again and Sanji's eye took on a malicious light. "Just so you know, you're paying your entire tab this time, shitty cyborg."

"Oh man! That's not super Sanji!"

Sanji smirked, "It's either that or I get to work your ass off tonight!"

Franky grumbled as he got up from his seat at the bar and ambled toward the kitchen. How much work could Sanji possibly find in one night anyway?

-/-/-/-/-/-

It had been a long shift. None of their tip-offs had been good, and the bad guys had gotten away. Nights like that made Zoro edgy. The mood at the station didn't help either. Everyone was tense from rumors about the new inspector that would be taking over their district in a few weeks. They had all heard that the new guy was a real hardass, difficult to communicate with and that he was an Altered. Zoro didn't like the idea of deferring to one of those scientific freaks. However, rumors were almost always exaggerated, and Zoro wouldn't let himself get too worked up until he saw how much was actually true. Besides, he had an important appointment to keep today, so he had more interesting things on his mind. He was looking forward to working off all the night's stress in a hard spar. Hopefully the blonde would deliver.

He couldn't stop his eagerness for the fight from showing, as he wrestled off his uniform and changed into street-clothes. One locker over, his best friend, roommate and working partner, Usopp was also changing after their night shift. "Hey, Usopp, can you drop me off at the gym on the way home?"

Usopp watched him out of the corner of his eyes as he retied his decidedly non-regulation length, curly hair back in a thick tail. "Yeah sure. I don't mind."

Zoro flashed him a quick smile of gratitude before securing his locker and wandering to the vending machine for a soda. Not even a minute later, Zoro returned with his drink and downed it in a few gulps. Usopp secured his belt and bent to tie his shoes. "What's the point of buying from the vending machine if you're going to drink it so fast?" He looked up to see Zoro pacing in a circle. "In a rush?"

"I'm meeting a new sparring partner, and I don't want to look bad by being late. Can you try to hurry the fuck up?" Zoro was practically bouncing in one place with ill-concealed anxiousness.

Usopp gave him a look and straightened, "Sheesh, no need to get upset. Let's go."

Zoro strode quickly through the station, not bothering with any of his coworkers' goodbyes. Usopp followed close behind, but made certain to soothe ruffled feathers and wish everyone luck on their day shifts. He made especially sure to be very pleasant to the old lady, Kokoro. It was never good to antagonize your dispatcher. Once outside, Zoro made a beeline for Usopp's little red aero-car and quickly climbed in the passenger's side, slamming the door sharply after himself.

Usopp rushed over and opened the driver's side door. Frowning at Zoro, he scolded, "Be more careful! You know this car…"

"Was given to you by your pretty girlfriend. I know already! Drive, longnose. We're going to be late!"

"Big jerk. You better treat Merry better if you want me to keep driving you places!"

Zoro shot him a look that clearly promised pain if Usopp didn't start driving _very_ soon. "I can't believe you still call your car by that dumb name."

Usopp ignored the visual threat, flicked on the ignition, and kept right on complaining as he set his precious aero-car into drive. "If you don't treat a car right, like a close friend, it comes back to haunt you at the repair shop. I might just decide to make you foot the bill! I have a hundred vicious bill collectors who owe me favors and I can call them at any time! Also don't blame me, Merry came with that name… and it's not dumb!"

"Whatever." Zoro rolled his eyes, planted his elbow on the side panel and rested his chin on his palm so he could watch out the window.

Usopp sighed, recognizing the futility of further argument, and expertly eased up into traffic.

-/-/-/-/-/-

After a few blocks of driving Usopp finally stopped shooting curious glances at his silent friend and directly asked the question that had been bothering him. "So, Zoro… um, who's this new sparring partner you're meeting? Is it someone I've met?"

"No." Zoro dropped his arm and turned to face his dark-haired friend. "I just met the fucker yesterday."

"Huh?" A few horns blared as Usopp swerved close to the neighboring flow-lane. "Yesterday? What on earth happened?"

Zoro settled himself back into the leather seat. "I was exploring a bit yesterday…" Usopp snorted in derision. He knew a lie when he heard one. Zoro had gotten his ass lost again and didn't want to admit it.

A warning gleam shone in his black eyes as Zoro continued his story, "I went down some alley and found this skinny little shit kicking some local gang members to death."

Usopp shot him a quick look, "Kicking them? You mean he was unarmed? How many guys were there?" Pausing and thinking a bit, he then asked, "Wait, you're not going to spar some kid are you? You'll flatten him!"

Zoro chuckled, "He's our age. I think he even owns some restaurant bar, but that fucker is just too skinny for a cook." Usopp blinked in confusion, having a difficult time following Zoro's train of thought. Not noticing his friend's troubles, Zoro continued, "There were five guys and Sanji took them all down, completely unarmed."

Usopp was impressed. "So this Sanji, he agreed to be your sparring partner?"

Shaking his head, Zoro smirked, "Not exactly."

"What?"

"I found the bar where he works, East Blue… something; then I insulted his cooking and challenged him to a fight."

Usopp rolled his eyes. He should have known that Zoro of all people couldn't have just asked politely. "So that's how it went?" At least now some of what Zoro had said earlier made sense. Usopp glanced over again. "Sanji must be pretty strong if you picked a fight so soon though."

A dangerous smile grew on Zoro's face. "Yeah. He seems so."

-/-/-/-/-/-

A short time later, Usopp dropped out of the skyway to park at the Logue Gym's front entrance. Usopp didn't bother to hide his sleepy yawn before looking over, "Do you want me to pick you up when you finish?"

Shooting him a dark look, Zoro unbuckled and slipped out the passenger's side door. Usopp rolled down his window and leaned out. "Well? Do you want me to or not?"

"No!" Zoro snapped and stalked off for the gym entrance.

Usopp shook his head and rolled his window back up. "No need for him to be so touchy. I was just trying to be nice!" Usopp pulled up into traffic and morosely pondered why he, the best roommate in the world, was so mistreated.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Zoro stomped toward the locker rooms feeling irritated. Pausing before the door, Zoro took a breath and released his anger. Usopp had just been trying to be helpful, but Zoro had the feeling he would never live it down if that jerk, Sanji, caught him getting picked up like some snot-nosed brat after a school day. He should probably apologize to the longnose later. The guy could be sensitive over the weirdest things.

"Hey, glad to see you didn't chicken out."

Zoro rolled his eyes and unlocked his member's storage locker. "Why would I be scared of your pathetic flailing around? You are no threat to me. I plan to enlighten you on how a real man fights."

Sanji chuckled, "You think so? I'll enjoy shoving those words back down your throat with my foot." He walked, barefoot, toward the hall. "Take your sweet time if you're nervous. I'll be warming up."

Growling at the retreating figure, Zoro hurriedly stripped his shirt and pants, and yanked on his favorite, black workout sweats.

Zoro entered the large workout room and began his own stretches while surreptitiously watching how Sanji performed his. When they were both satisfied, both men wasted no more time and began to circle, looking for openings in each other's stances. Zoro was very nearly surprised when Sanji suddenly darted close and sent a roundhouse toward his head. Zoro dodged in time to feel the swish of displaced air past his temple. Too close. Determined to return the favor, Zoro used a head slip to avoid another kick and to get even closer to his opponent. This time Sanji was the one who barely managed to throw himself sideways as Zoro's fist grazed his side.

The fight then began in earnest, and both fighters equally matched hard punches for vicious kicks, and stabbing elbows for sharp knees. Stubbornness and skill kept them standing even when hits did make contact. Both men accepted that they would be regretting it when they couldn't move tomorrow, and threw themselves into the fight, relying on adrenaline to hold back the pain. Well over an hour of intense sparring later, they reached a mutual end.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Zoro closed his eyes and enjoyed the hot water on his trembling muscles. He hadn't expected to be pushed to this point. A smile spread on his face as he heard Sanji start humming a tune, two showers over. The shitty blonde had better be ready for their next fight. Zoro was planning to double his training tomorrow, and he would do whatever it took to provoke Sanji into another spar. Feeling content, Zoro turned off the water, toweled himself reasonably dry, and slipped on his gray boxers before padding back out into the locker room. Sanji joined him a minute later, and they stood together, redressing in companionable silence.

Zoro was fumbling with his pants, still shirtless when Sanji suddenly spoke up, "Where did you get that long-ass scar?"

Zoro shrugged and glanced down at where the old wound sliced diagonally the length of his torso, "From some asshole I still have to defeat." He didn't really want to get into his personal history right now with a man who was still a near-stranger.

"You mean _another_ asshole you have to defeat." Sanji gave him a pointed smirk before vigorously towel-drying his flattened hair.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Zoro quirked a questioning brow.

"Obviously I won. I scored more hits off your slow ass, snot-hair."

A damp towel promptly hit Sanji in the face with a wet slap. Zoro snarled, "Like hell you did! You must have gotten a concussion when I slammed your skinny ass to the ground-twice. There are some serious problems with your memory if you can't recall how I _owned_ you out there!"

Sanji sputtered and flung the used hand towel away from his head. His curled eyebrow twitched in fury as he stomped into Zoro's personal space. "Your muscles must be cutting off the blood flow to your brain and making you delusional, dumbass!" For a tense moment both men stood toe-to-toe, facing each other down with matching sneers. Suddenly Sanji flashed a grin with an eager gleam in his blue eye, "Settle this at the same time next week?"

Zoro blinked in surprise before smiling back. "Why not? I'll beat you down anytime blondie!"

Sanji moved back and pulled his clean shirt down over his head. "Whatever fantasies keep you happy! Hey…" He eyed Zoro with a serious look. "Try not to meet anymore assholes who can dice you up that bad."

Zoro touched his scar automatically and watched as Sanji sauntered away. He called out before Sanji disappeared through the exit, "Next week then!" Sanji returned the goodbye with a hand lifted in a silent wave.

Unable to stop smiling, Zoro pulled on a white tee and closed his locker before using his phone to dial a taxi. Hopefully this marked the beginning of a new opportunity for personal growth as a fight. Zoro strolled outside to wait for his ride and wondered what Sanji would do if he brought swords to their next spar.


	3. Chapter 3

3.

* * *

Zoro groaned as he saw the pile of papers sitting on his desk. Across the room a dark-haired man peered over a similar tower of files with a dark chuckle. "The good Inspector having you fix all the mistakes in your paperwork too?"

"Shut up, Johnny. Usopp fucked these up, not me."

"Sure. Whatever you say brother."

Zoro took his seat and began to flip through the upper strata of forms. "Hey, Johnny?"

"Yeah, brother?"

"If I gave you my next bonus would you fix these damn forms for me?"

Johnny raised an eyebrow, "Hot date?"

"No way, dumbass. Just don't want to cancel on my sparring partner today."

Johnny shrugged and pushed his glasses back up his nose. "It's fine with me brother. Make sure you call me up so we can go out drinking again sometime. Yosaku and I haven't gotten to cut loose in a while."

Zoro grinned, "Of course I will. Thanks for the favor. I owe you one."

Johnny waved goodbye as Zoro trotted off to change out of his uniform. It had only been about a month, but sparring with Sanji every week had already become an important routine. The blonde asshole really knew how to present a challenge; no matter what he tried, Zoro just could not get a clear win off the guy. Of course Sanji had never beaten Zoro either, and so each spar was an intense deadlock with both fighters only getting stronger and more creative. Zoro loved it. He thought of this weekly appointment as part of his training.

Zoro slipped on his favorite jacket-the wind had some bite this time of year-and stuffed his badge into the pocket. As he strode toward the front door, he pulled out his phone to check for messages. He frowned as he listened to a panicked message from Usopp. There was something about a 'big boss breathing fire' and 'run for your life' among some colorful pleas for rescue, but as a whole it made no sense. Zoro sighed. That stupid longnose better not have set the apartment on fire again. Twice in a month was already too much. Zoro didn't know if he could keep them from being thrown out on to the street if the their landlord got another visit from the fire department.

"Officer Roronoa." Zoro froze in mid-step and a chill ran down his spine. He would rather deal with an eviction right now than _him_. Steel-colored eyes pinned Zoro in place as the new Inspector leaned from his office doorway. "I need to meet with you. Now. That is unless you are... busy?"

Zoro saw the man cast a suspicious glance toward Zoro's mysteriously clean desk. Damn. "No, sir. Now is fine." His boss grunted in satisfaction and vanished back into his lair. Zoro growled in irritation and dialed Sanji to leave him a message. "Hey, shit-cook. I can't make it to the gym today. Sorry. My boss wants to 'talk'. I'll make it up to you, so don't get your panties in a knot."

Zoro marched through the door to certain doom, and took the unoccupied seat in front of the Inspector's desk. Usopp was already seated in the other chair, sending a forlorn look toward his partner. At least the weird phone message was explained. His other partner, Brook, stood silently in the far corner. Zoro wouldn't have even seen him through the haze of cigar smoke if it weren't for the light reflecting off his metal skeleton. Brook nodded a mute hello, gears clicking and the lights in his eyesockets glowing a dull red.

"Oh thank you so much for kindly making time at my sudden request." Zoro scowled. The monotone statement was dripping with sarcasm, just in case the sneer on the Inspector's face hadn't clued him in properly. "Roronoa, I'll be blunt so maybe you can understand. Your team is a disgrace to this district. Only three arrests in the last week, and thousands of dollars worth of property damage." The sneer made way for a cigar as the Inspector lit up mid lecture. "Right now you're not worth the pretty uniform you run around in, but don't worry…" Zoro clenched his fists to keep himself from knocking out a few teeth. He didn't allow anyone to talk down to him. Usopp was watching Zoro's reactions with worry, prepared to have to save the Inspector's life at some point. Brook was calmly staring back into the Inspector's steely eyes, but the sharp clicking of the joints in his fists betrayed his irritation. The Inspector continued without pause, "...I am going to manage you personally, and so help me, your performance _will_ improve." Three pairs of eyes followed the movement as the Inspector tapped his cigar thoughtfully against his ashtray. "We've got a good tip on a big one. You are familiar with the out-smugglers that call themselves Strawhats?" Zoro nodded, "At least you're not deaf then. We're going to take this one down, and then you'll see. The whole out-smuggling operation in Old Philadelphia will be easy pickings. Even for a fuck-up like you." The Inspector leaned in close, "If you refuse to work according to my rules, Roronoa, I will have you removed from my district, and transferred into the deepest cesspool I can find."

Zoro met his boss, glare for glare. He would show this asshole what he was capable of, and not to fucking underestimate his city. This fucker thought he could take down the local underworld so easily? Fine. Zoro would work with him, and then let this gene-altered mother-fucker with a fucking power trip, take the heat for once when all his hot-shot plans bit the dust. "Your rules will be fine, sir."

The Inspector leaned back with a warped smirk, lighting another cigar before the first was even finished. "Just what I like to hear. This is what I want your team to do. Take notes..."

-/-/-/-/-/-

Over two hours later, Zoro and his team retreated wearily down the station hall, their boss watching them carefully from his office doorway. "Inspector Smoker?" He turned from scowling at Usopp's too-long hair to glare at his secretary. She was unfazed by his expression and held out an armful of documents. "Sir, I need you to look over these reports. They were just resubmitted."

Smoker took the stack and thumbed through a few forms. After a moment he paused and began to curse colorfully under his breath. These were Roronoa's damn files, and it appeared the fucker didn't think he was smart enough to notice that someone else had fixed them! "That ugly, green, son-of-a-bitch…!" Smoker would make Zoro wish he had never shown his stupid green hair in this station!


	4. Chapter 4

4.

* * *

Another long night at the East Blue Baratie was finally at an end. Everything had gone as planned, and today Sanji would serve that idiot Zoro a heaping dish of whoop-ass. Sanji hummed as he cleaned every glass to sparkling perfection. Not too long ago he had dreaded mornings. Those final hours after the intense activities of the previous night were just agony. However, after meeting Zoro, morning cleanup was when he planned all the techniques he would use to finally make that moss-headed fucker beg for mercy. He enjoyed sparring with Zoro. For the past month they had been meeting at Zoro's gym every Tuesday morning, and Sanji found himself looking forward to each fight more than the last.

"Sanji..." His heart thumped an extra beat as the world's most angelic voice floated to his ears. "...Can you leave the dishes a moment? There's something I have to say that affects all of us."

"Of course, Nami my sweet!" Sanji wiped his hands on his apron and followed his goddess out to one of the tables. Luffy and Robin were already seated. Sanji scowled as he watched Luffy dig around in his nose with a grubby finger. Unable to tolerate such appalling manners for another second, Sanji kicked the nose-picker clear across the room. "Keep your hands away from your nose! You're making my lovely swans sick!"

Robin smiled quietly as she watched the exchange, and Nami simply rolled her eyes and took her seat. "Can we start?" Luffy scrambled back to his place, pouting like a child. Nami gave an approving nod, "Okay. Now I have some good news. We just got information about a big transfer from Punccasard Labs. There are at least four individuals being moved. They're headed for Fort Dix in North Jersey, but their most probable projected route will take them right through our territory in Old Philadelphia." Nami's eyes sparkled as she delivered the news, and her listeners matched her excited expression. "This will be our biggest job yet! Of course there will be an escort, and no doubt the local enforcers will get involved." She steepled her hands and let a small frown pull at the corners of her lips. "Now for the bad news. We are in desperate need of information. Times, vehicles, weapons, and manpower are just a few of the things that we need to know. Normally I would send Kohza, but I just received a tip that the enforcers have identified him, and that they have already made the connection to the Strawhats. They're hunting Kohza as we speak, and we need another way to get out information."

Even Luffy was silent as everyone took in the news. Sanji spoke up, "Will Kohza get out okay? I can notify the others that we're running him through tonight and let him stay here in the 'cooler'."

Nami shook her head, "We don't know where he is actually. He only managed to let us know he'd been found out before he disappeared. We have no way of contacting him, and right now we can only assume that the enforcers are still looking for him."

"He's fine." Luffy grinned widely, "He's smart and he's strong. Kohza will get out okay."

Robin hummed in agreement. "Indeed, Kohza knows what he's doing. Now what should we do about our information problem? Do you at least know how long we have to plan?"

Nami shrugged helplessly. "I think we have another two weeks? I can't say for certain."

Robin smiled, "Well that does make things difficult, doesn't it?"

Nami moaned and hid her face in her hands. "So you have no ideas either?"

Sanji stood and rested a comforting hand on Nami's shoulder. "Don't let worry cloud your lovely face my sweet swan! We will all work hard to find a solution before tonight!" Everyone nodded in agreement. Nami relaxed and gave Sanji a grateful smile. He smiled back brilliantly. "You outshine the sun when you smile, my sweet! Now would my lovely swans like to try my new pumpkin muffins with vanilla and cinnamon icing?" Luffy's hand shot up and he nodded frantically. Sanji shot him a glare and promptly kicked him in the face. "Who said I would give any to you, dumbass?"

Robin chuckled softly behind her hand, Nami ignored them all to check through her phone, and Luffy whined and pleaded in the background. The meeting quickly spiraled into disarray, when Sanji once again lost his patience, and sent Luffy flying with another vicious kick. All in all, it was a normal morning.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Sanji had finished washing the dishes. Again. Luffy was such a disgusting slob. Now he had only a short time to get ready and head to the gym to meet Zoro. His phone chirped out the alert tone for a message. He pulled it out and frowned. One message from Zoro blinked on his screen. Pressing the button to make it play through, Sanji's scowl deepened as he listened. The fucker had some nerve to cancel at the last minute!

Disappointment set in as he slipped into his overcoat to head home. He had really needed to clear his his mind and blow off some stress today. Sparring with Zoro would have been a much needed distraction. "I'll kick him in the nuts for doing this to me without a proper warning!" He muttered the half-hearted threat under his breath as he finished locking up. Looking around at the businessmen and women hurrying down the streets to start their mornings, Sanji suddenly felt very tired. He should just go home and get to sleep. Tonight they were expecting a family of five. The father was a reporter who had made the mistake of speaking out against the world government just one time too many. It would be another hectic night.

-/-/-/-/-/-

The persistent ringing of his phone finally roused him from his comfortable sleep. Sanji clumsily grabbed the stupid thing from his nightstand and growled into the receiver. Zoro's warm chuckle rumbled through the speaker, "Well, good afternoon Mr. Sunshine. Cheerful as always I hear."

Sanji cast a blue eye toward his clock. "Fucker, it's only four. What the fuck do you fucking want?"

"Come to my place for a drink?"

"What?"

"Come over. I told you I would make it up to you for missing our spar. Let me treat you to a drink, grill some steaks, and you can meet my roommate. He's a cool guy."

Sanji huffed out an exasperated breath, "I was just enjoying _not_ having to look at your dumb face, shitty broccoli-head. Why should I go to your shitty place?"

"If you don't I swear I'll burn these nice, juicy steaks until they're charcoal."

"Fine! I'll come! Don't murder any innocent food before I get there, okay?" Sanji hopped out of bed, still holding his phone to his ear, and began to throw on some casual clothes. "Um, dumbass?"

"Yeah?"

"What the fuck is your address?"

* * *

_Because the idea of Brook as a robot was too awesome, I drew a pic and__ posted the link on my profile. I'll be putting up future art there as well. Just thought someone might care._


	5. Chapter 5

5.

* * *

"…sopp. Usopp. Wake up already!"

"Mmmmeh…?" Usopp cracked an eye to see Zoro towering over his bed. A sudden jolt of terror overcame him and he shot upright in panic, sheets and curly hair flying everywhere. What time was it? Had he slept through his alarm? Oh god, the boss would kill him if he was late! His clock on his dresser read two minutes past four in red digital numbers. Usopp groaned and fell back into his pillow. "Zorooooo…" He whined pathetically, "What gives? We don't work until ten!"

"Get up and get dressed, longnose. We have company coming." Zoro unceremoniously yanked the blankets from Usopp's burrowing form and tossed them into a far corner. "Get showered too. You smell like a stray dog's armpit."

"Shut up, jerk." Usopp curled into his pillow stubbornly a moment before something occurred to his sleepy brain. "…Uh, who is coming over?"

Zoro strolled away toward the door, satisfied that his roommate was not going right back to sleep. "Sanji will get here any minute. Get moving."

"S-Sanji? That guy you've been meeting?" Usopp stumbled from the bed and gaped at Zoro's retreating back. Zoro had actually invited his new sparring partner for a visit? It took _ages_ for the big guy to warm up to anyone enough to even go out drinking with them, and for Zoro to invite a new friend home so soon… He must really be impressed by this guy. Excitement made him a little clumsy as Usopp hurried to make himself presentable. He wanted to meet Sanji, no matter what!

-/-/-/-/-/-

Sanji stood in front of the moss-head's address, smoking and still feeling a little indecisive. Why on earth was he visiting this asshole's apartment? Zoro had said he wanted to make amends for the last minute cancelation, but he could have just bought Sanji a few beers and everyone would have been happy. Having dinner at Zoro's house seemed a little too intimate for their current relationship. Sanji let out a hazy breath. Well he had gotten his ass out of bed and come all the way up here. He might as well just knock and get this shitty get-together over with. He flicked the off switch on his smoke and slipped it in his pocket for later. It wasn't the same as smoking tobacco, but canisters were much cheaper. Sanji rechecked the address he had copied down one last time before stepping up and rapping his knuckles sharply on the door.

"Come on in. It's open!" Of course the moron wouldn't be bothered to politely open the door for a guest.

Stepping through the door cautiously, Sanji noticed the pile of shoes in the entryway. "Do you need me to take off my shoes?"

Zoro shouted back, "Only if you want to, idiot!"

"Oh! is that him already?"

Sanji figured the unfamiliar voice was the roommate his unwelcoming host had mentioned. He startled a little when a long nose and round eyes surrounded by the wildest curly hair Sanji had ever seen, peeked around a corner. "You must be Sanji? I'm Zoro's roommate, Usopp! Come on in to the living room and sit! I'll be right back. I need to tie up my hair."

Sanji nodded and stepped into the apartment. "Nice to see the green wonder has a friend with manners. It's good to meet you, Usopp." The skinny young man gave him a friendly smile before vanishing into one of the rooms off the living area.

The open floor plan let Sanji see right into the kitchen. Zoro's broad shoulders filled the small cooking space as he prodded at a few steaks on a countertop grill. Sanji wandered over and cast a critical eye over the meat. Not too bad looking actually. So maybe mean-and-green could actually cook a little. "Hey, it's not burnt!"

Zoro shot him a look over his shoulder, "It's about time you got your slow ass here. Did your skinny, toothpick legs cramp up skipping here?"

Sanji glared. His legs were sexy, dammit! "I drove here, fucker. Anyway, did you bother to make anything besides meat?" Zoro shrugged. Clearly the thought hadn't even occurred to him. "Just because you're growing a damn salad on your scalp doesn't mean you shouldn't eat your vegetables. It'll keep your head-grass nice and healthy!"

"Go fuck yourself, cyclops!" A half-hearted punch missed Sanji's covered eye as he dodged around Zoro to get at the fridge.

Sanji pulled out a few things. He could make a nice house salad in just a few minutes. "Call me that one more time and you'll be seeing out of only one eye for real." Sanji kicked at Zoro's shin for good measure as he slipped by to make his salad on the dinner table. "You guys need more counter space. There's no way you can cook anything decent like this!"

Zoro shrugged as he flipped the steaks, "We make do." He shifted over a step as Sanji invaded his personal space. "What do you want, shit-cook?"

Sanji flipped him off, "Do you have any cutting knives? I also need a cutting board."

"Knives are in the left drawer. You can slice the stuff on a paper plate. We keep them in that cabinet right over your head."

One blue eye glared murder in Zoro's direction. "You expect me to slice vegetables properly on a fucking _paper_ plate?"

Zoro sneered as he turned off the power for his little grill. "No one asked you to make your shitty salad, dumbass. This isn't a restaurant so deal with it!"

Sanji cursed and grumbled, but he handled the sorry excuses for cooking equipment with expertise. Zoro was just a little bit impressed.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Usopp reentered the living room to see Zoro and Sanji working side-by-side. It was easy to see why Zoro felt comfortable around the blonde, as Sanji returned insult for insult. Sanji was obviously smart, and Usopp wasn't ashamed to admit the guy was attractive as well. He watched in awe as Sanji made an artistic salad out of their leftover veggies, and secretly hoped that Zoro would be inviting over his sparring partner often. "Wow, Sanji. You're really good with that knife and stuff. Do you cook a lot?"

Sanji grinned over his shoulder at Usopp, "You could say that. Didn't moss-brain over there tell you I am a cook?"

"Er, he might have mentioned something like that?" Usopp couldn't really remember, but didn't it have something to do with how they met? Oh well.

Zoro interrupted their conversation. "The steaks are done. Are you done arranging the cucumbers, shit-cook?"

Sanji rolled his blue eye, "Yes, the salad is ready too. Good food takes care and time, shitty muscle-head. Now find me some real dinnerware. If you expect me to eat steak off those goddamn paper circles I will shove your sad little grill up your ass until you get sear marks on the backs of your teeth!"

-/-/-/-/-/-

Later they all sat, beers in hand, laughing at the terrible action movie showing on the television. Sanji was surprised at how much he was actually enjoying himself. Usopp was a really nice guy and easy to get along with, even if he told some questionably true stories. Zoro was still an asshole, but Sanji found himself enjoying that biting sarcasm when it wasn't being directed at him. Maybe they could all be friends? "Hey, Zoro?"

"Yeah?"

"When are you coming back to the Baratie? Franky has been asking about you."

Zoro shrugged, "I don't know. Work has been killer recently. I haven't really felt like going out to drink."

Sanji rolled his blue eye, "Lazy ass. Come to my bar soon, okay? Usopp should come too, and I'll feed you both a real dinner!"

Zoro's mouth watered at the memory of that mind-blowing sandwich. "Sure I'll come. Maybe your cooking has improved."

Usopp snorted a laugh as Sanji effortlessly twisted Zoro's arm until he tapped the arm of the couch in surrender.

A piercing ringing made them all jump in surprise. "My phone…" Zoro mumbled with an apologetic look. He pulled the offending device from his pocket and left the room to answer the call in the hallway.

Sanji craned his neck after him curiously. "It's probably our boss."

"Huh?"

"Our new boss has been calling us in to work early this past week. I'm sorry Sanji, we'll probably have to go in early again tonight." Usopp shrugged helplessly.

Sanji blinked in surprise, "You work together too?"

Usopp grinned widely and nodded, "Yeah! There's three of us to a team you know. I'm the sniper and the primary backup. Our other partner is Brook, and he handles the tracking and secondary backup. Zoro is the enforcer and our team leader."

"E-enforcer…?" Sanji suddenly felt sick to his stomach.

Usopp sent him a curious look. "Didn't he tell you? We both work for the Philadelphia Police and Security Force."

Oh god.

Sanji went absolutely pale as he stared speechless at Usopp. He, a wanted criminal and part of an infamous gang, was sitting stupidly right in the enemy's house! He didn't know whether to laugh like a crazy man or panic.

Usopp was watching him with concern, but before he could ask if Sanji was okay, Zoro came back into the room. "Fucking asshole… Usopp, the Inspector told me he needs us there by six. He has to go over some more information for that big transfer. We have to leave now." He turned to face where Sanji was still sitting, frozen in shock. "I'm sorry we have to kick you out, but I'm glad you came over." Sanji nodded numbly and forced himself to move toward the door. Zoro walked him out and leaned on the doorframe. "Visit again anytime okay? Just call first… and bring booze. Usopp and I will come around to the bar soon, so say hi to Franky for me?"

He had to tell him it was a mistake. His bar had been closed forever due to mutant cockroaches. He had a contagious terminal illness and they should never meet again… anything! In the end Sanji could only nod and manage a weak smile. That seemed to satisfy _officer_ Zoro, and he closed the apartment door, leaving Sanji feeling utterly trapped on the outside.

The feeling of panic quickened his breathing, and Sanji fled to his aero-car, fumbling for his phone. This was bad. He was already shaking violently as he dialed in a number. "Nami, we have a serious problem…" Not only did an officer know his face and fighting style, but Zoro knew about the Baratie. It was only a matter of time before Zoro realized who he was and raided their safehouse. Sanji had just put his friends, as well as the poor souls they were trying to rescue, in very serious danger.


	6. Chapter 6

6.

* * *

Nami tapped her spoon against the tabletop to attract everyone's attention. When all eyes were on her, she sat back and nodded toward Sanji, her expression serious. "You all have an idea of why this emergency meeting was called, but, Sanji, could you please explain clearly for everyone the situation?"

"Anything you say my swan!" He quickly exchanged his fawning expression for a more solemn one when Nami gave him a stern look. "Er, okay… I been meeting up with this guy, Zoro, for the past month to spar. He's a pretty decent challenge as a fighter. Anyway, I was invited over to his place to dinner, and I found out that both Zoro and his roommate are members of the force. He knows my name, my face and…" Sanji looked down despondently into his lap, "He knows about the Baratie, and my connection to it."

Silence hung over the small group for a few minutes before Robin spoke up, "Obviously your officer acquaintance does not know you are a member of our group, or that we are currently operating from your bar, or else you would not be sitting here with us." The others nodded in agreement, and Robin continued, "We also know his name, face, his occupation, and even where he lives. At the moment I do believe we have the advantage, Mr. Cook."

Sanji smiled in relief, "I dare not doubt the wisdom that falls from your lovely lips, beautiful madame!"

His flirting was ignored like usual as Nami spoke up, "Robin does have a point. I don't think any of us are in any immediate danger. We can proceed tonight as planned, but we need to decide what to do about this officer and his roommate."

A sinister smile crept across Robin's delicate features, "I am personally capable of disposing of this officer and his companion quickly and quietly. Would you like me to look into the matter?"

"Robin your dark side reminds me of the deadly grace of a panther. Such a fearful beauty, I cannot help but feel awe that you would offer your extensive talents!"

Nami rolled her eyes, "Sanji, really. Try to contain yourself? I think letting Robin handle things could work… Luffy, do you have any ideas?"

All eyes turned to Luffy as he rocked his chair back and forth on the two back legs. "Mmmm, Sanji?"

"Yes?"

"This, Zoro. He's strong?"

"Mr. Leader, even if he is strong, I should have no trouble with him."

"I know that Robin. You are the best at sneaking ever! So Sanji! Is he strong?"

Sanji could see Luffy's black eyes sparkling like polished buttons. The ominous feeling that something he would dislike very much would fly out of their leader's mouth in the next few moments, caused Sanji to hesitate. "H-he's… strong."

"Shishishishishi!" Sanji cringed at the sound of Luffy's exuberant laugh, "I've decided! Sanji! You will make him our friend!"

"Hell no!" Sanji's heel caught Luffy between the eyes, and sent the gangly young man flying from his chair. "That idiot moss-head is too stubborn and too dense to see reason! There is no way he'd become our 'friend'! We don't want him anyway! He's rude, has no fashion sense… and his hair is fucking green!"

"Awesome! It's really green?" Luffy recovered instantly from his violent flight, eyes shining even brighter than before. Sanji groaned.

"Wait a minute!" Nami jumped up, "Luffy, you are a genius!" She grabbed their confused leader by the head and soundly kissed his cheek.

Sanji wailed in despair. How could his lovely swan place her perfect lips on _that_? Luffy frowned as he tried to understand, "I am?"

Nami laughed gleefully, "Yes you are! Listen to this! Sanji…" She spun on her heel and pointed at the moping cook, "You will get close to Zoro; as close as you can. I don't care if you have to date him to do it! You will stick closer than even his most trusted friend… and then you will use that connection as a way to get me all the exclusive information I need!" She rubbed her hands together, chuckling happily, her eyes sparkling in a startling resemblance to Luffy's.

"D-date…!" He could never be angry with his sweet Nami, but she couldn't have said anything more horrible. There was no way he could pretend to be nice, much less romantic, to Zoro!

Robin chuckled, "How interesting! Of course I will provide the alternative if should get into any trouble."

Sanji was too traumatized to form a proper protest. How had this evening gone from bad to worse so quickly? This was all the fault of that bastard, mossy enforcer!

-/-/-/-/-/-

It had been few days and Zoro hadn't heard anything from Sanji. He told himself he wasn't actually _disappointed_. It was just he had thought that the shitty blonde had actually gotten the stick out of his ass long enough to enjoy himself the other night. Usopp had told him something that did worry him a little. It seemed Sanji had been upset that Zoro hadn't told him about his job. It was an honest mistake really. Up until that dinner, every time they had met it had been to fight. Exchanging personal information had been the last thing on his mind. If Sanji was still mad it was possible that he would refuse to help Zoro train any more. It was an distressing thought. He'd never say it out loud, but Zoro hadn't had such a great training partner since his best friend, Kuina, had died when they were both children. Zoro needed Sanji to get stronger.

So that was why Zoro was going to take advantage of a rare day off. He had gathered his friends, and instructed them all to rendezvous at the Baratie. Usopp was clearly excited, and he chattered happily to Brook, who was sitting in the back, as he drove. "… And he made this elaborate feast in only mere…"

"It was a salad." Zoro interrupted, feeling annoyed, "I made the steak, remember?"

Usopp's mouth opened and closed a few times, resembling a stranded fish. "Y-yeah. Oh wait! Zoro! How dare you cook up the precious steaks we were saving! I was planning to entertain a famous actress next weekend!"

Zoro snorted, "Oh? Does Miss Kaya know about your actress friend?" Usopp stuttered for a moment, searching for a proper lie to set things straight. Zoro simply carried on, ignoring his verbal floundering in the process, "I don't see why you're bothering to complain about me using them now. If we had kept them too much longer they would have been freezer-burned anyway." Zoro turned in his seat to face Brook, "The shitty blonde made a simple salad. Nothing to be so impressed about… But he did make me a sandwich the first time I met him, and it was pretty good." Zoro was already salivating in anticipation of more of Sanji's cooking.

"Yohohoho!" Brook laughed softly in his slightly tinny voice. He knew Zoro well enough to read between the lines. Zoro didn't give out compliments without absolutely meaning them. Sanji must be an excellent cook. Brook carefully observed his partner as he turned back to grouse at Usopp for not driving faster. He was beginning to suspect that Zoro had an ulterior motive for planning this night out.

-/-/-/-/-/-

"Hey! I'm glad you called us out, brother!" Johnny pulled Zoro into a half-hug before the man could escape into the bar.

Yosaku promptly attached himself to Zoro's other side. "It's been so long! I hardly see you anymore! Wiper is a decent enforcer, but I miss having you on our team, brother!"

Giving up, Zoro grinned and hugged Yosaku back warmly, "I'm sorry I've been scarce. Let me buy a round to make up for it?"

Johnny and Yosaku pulled away with matching grins. In unison, they lifted a fist into the air and led the charge into the bar. "Beeeeer!"

"Yohohoho!" Brook followed the two troublemakers inside, eager to join in the fun.

Usopp pulled Zoro aside to ask something that had been worrying him. "Hey, has Sanji talked to you at all since the dinner?" Zoro shook his head, "Oh boy. So he is still upset? You should apologize. I think I embarrassed him by assuming he knew about our jobs, so I'll apologize too just in case."

"Stupid, girly-cook…" Zoro hated giving apologies. It always made him sound like an idiot.

Usopp elbowed him sharply in the ribs. "Zoro…"

"Fine." He huffed out a sigh and move to open the door. "After you, oh wise negotiator!" He chuckled when Usopp puffed out his skinny chest and strutted through the door with that ridiculous nose of his in the air.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Sanji glared at the three very noisy men who had invaded his bar. There was one with a blonde buzz cut and squinty little eyes; the other jerk had dark hair-and for a moment, Sanji had thought that the idiot was wearing sunglasses inside... that was until the transition lenses turned clear; finally, the last noisy asshole was a fucking metal skeleton with a fucking afro. How the hell did that work? Sanji shook his head. These days his customers were getting weirder and weirder.

The sound of the shop bell made him look up, and right into the face he had been losing sleep over recently. Green hair, dark eyes and a stupid amount of muscles. Oh shit. Sanji fled into the kitchen. He was not ready to deal with this yet!

-/-/-/-/-/-

Zoro groaned internally when Sanji obviously fled at the mere sight of him. It would be harder to win back his sparring partner than he had initially thought. Usopp shot him a look of concern. Sanji's reaction wasn't lost on him. They both went up to the bar and took over the seats by their friends. Usopp was immediately sucked into a wild conversation about the uses of pigeons, but Zoro sat silent, anxiously glaring at the kitchen doors. He was just about to march over there and demand that the cook come out and stop acting like a shitty girl, when the doors flew open and Franky strode to the bar.

Zoro blinked in surprise. "Hey, Franky. I didn't know you worked here." He thought the friendly cyborg was just another regular.

"I don't work here bro! Sanji and I have a suuuuper deal worked out so I can pay my tab with little tasks!"

Zoro's frown dissolved into a laugh as he turned to his friends. "Guys this is Franky! Apparently he doesn't work here, but he's a cool dude anyway…"

"Suuuuuper cool!"

Zoro nodded in agreement, "Super cool! Franky, this sorry bunch are my friends. The longnose is my roommate Usopp. Then there is Johnny, Yosaku, and the creepy skeleton cyborg is Brook. I figured you two would get along."

-/-/-/-/-/-

Franky warmly shook every new person's hand as they were introduced. When he got to Brook, he grinned broadly, "You're a cyborg bro? I've never seen a super version like you!"

"Yohohohoho! I find myself quite impressed as well Mr. Franky!" Brook shook Franky's huge hand, matching the enthusiasm of the broader man. "I don't know your story Mr. Franky, but as for me, I was a subject in the code 'R' series. I'm sure you are familiar with the experiments of Dr. Vegapunk?"

Franky nodded sagely. "Naturally, bro. The doctor's work inspired some of my own self improvements."

"Wonderful! Well, Dr. Vegapunk was experimenting with taking the brains of the freshly deceased and integrating them with a fully robotic form." Brook gestured to his metal ribcage, "As you can see he had some success. You can imagine my face when I woke up and saw myself like this! Except I have no face! Yohohohoho!"

"That's suuuuuper! So you were actually dead bro? Do you remember your past life and all that?"

Brook nodded, the gears in his neck joints clicking softly. "Indeed. I was quite dead. My memories are mostly intact. Understandably there was some… damage. My companions from my previous life were also subject to the same process. Unfortunately I was the only survivor, and the project was discontinued." Brook's voice took on a sad timbre as he related his past, "There are some flaws in my design, and Dr. Vegapunk did not consider the experiment to be a success. I believe in the end, the process was too cost ineffective and with too few positive results."

Franky was quiet a moment, sensing there were things his new friend could not bring himself to say. "I'm sorry about your old pals bro. You said there are some flaws in your mechanics? I could take a look at them if you'd like. I'm pretty suuuuper with those things!" Franky proudly flexed his custom arms.

"Yohohoho! I would appreciate that very much!"

-/-/-/-/-/-

Zoro smiled to see his two cyborg friends getting along. Franky seemed to be taking Brook in stride. Zoro couldn't help but remember his own reaction of shock and a little horror when he had first learned what Brook was. It wasn't until he had worked some time with the man that he'd stopped thinking about him as some freaky machine and as a good friend instead.

He tapped his fingers on the bar and contemplated the silent kitchen doors with growing irritation. He didn't like the feeling of being avoided. Now that everyone was settled in and Franky was pouring drinks, it was time that Zoro do something about his little problem with Sanji.


	7. Chapter 7

7.

* * *

It was worth it. It would save many lives. It was only for a short time.

Sanji chanted these lines over and over in his head, trying to convince himself that this whole impending situation wasn't the stupidest thing he'd ever gotten himself into. With a weary sigh, he clicked yet another vapor canister into place and took a deep drag. Not for the first time he questioned the sanity of following a man like Luffy. Ever since that skinny food-eating machine had bounced into his life declaring, "I will fix everything and become the greatest gang leader so everyone can follow their dreams!" Sanj's life had become a hectic scramble of overcoming life-threatening obstacles. Why was it that every time Luffy was right about what needed to be done, it was also illegal? Right now, Sanji would kill for a nice, government threat free vacation in Roma-France-they have great food there.

His thoughts floated off into realms of pastas and baguettes as he steadily smoked through his pack of canisters. It was utter bullshit that each one of these was supposed to last as long as a pack of real-leaf. The noise of the backdoor being opened alerted him that his hideout behind the bar had been invaded. He identified the asshole from the corner of his eye and groaned inwardly. Fucking grass-man couldn't have waited until Sanji was good and ready could he? Granted Sanji felt like he'd _never_ be ready. Espionage wasn't really his thing. He just wanted to stay the fuck away from Zoro and his force buddies.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Zoro knew that the shitty cook had seen him. That blue eye had shot him a look that could have killed a weaker man, but Zoro was anything but weak. He stood his ground and glared down at the angry blonde, suddenly irked all over again that Sanji was acting so pissy over something so stupid.

"Stop avoiding me, dumbass."

Maybe that wasn't really the best way to open a conversation with the man he wanted to apologize to… Sanji stood up from where he'd been crouched and fully turned to glare hatefully into Zoro's eyes. "Go fuck yourself. I don't want to see you. Ever." A leg raised threateningly as Sanji made it clear he meant business.

Shit. Zoro had to fix this fast. "Wait! I didn't mean to say that!"

He had to dodge fast as Sanji's shoe left a fucking dent in the brick where his head had just been. God, that was just a little awesome. Zoro quickly brought himself back to the present; he didn't have time to ogle fighting techniques right now. He was going to be murdered any moment if he was too slow by even a second.

"Did you mean to say that you were just leaving? Because unless I hear that right now, I will kick your ugly face so hard you will need a new picture on your shitty force id!"

Zoro winced as Sanji's vicious tone hit him in the face along with spittle. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was on the force!" He desperately held up his arms to block another hit. He swore he could feel his bones creak as Sanji angrily ground his shoe into the temporary barricade. "Why are you so angry? I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I just didn't think it mattered!"

Sanji dropped his foot and paced a few steps away, muttering curses under his breath. He couldn't really explain why he was angry, could he now? It was all this asshole's fault that he was being forced into something he was uncomfortable with. "You didn't tell me shit, and that's as good as fucking lying. Have you been messing with me as some fucked up joke? I'm sure there are other bastards in the force who can fight you; you know, because you all received that special training in the fucking force!" He grasped at straws and threw the first rant he could think of out there and hoped it worked.

Zoro's eyes went wide. Was that what this was all about? He hadn't told Sanji why he had first provoked him into a fight? "It's not like that! Listen… Sanji, I pissed you off so I could fight with you. On purpose. I-I _like_ fighting with you." Zoro fidgeted, completely embarrassed about exposing his admiration like this, but he would do just about anything not to lose this new friendship.

Sanji nearly dropped his smoke. He stared at Zoro incredulously. Not only had Zoro fallen for his first lie, hook-line-and-sinker, but the dumbass had just _complimented_ him? Damn if that didn't actually boost his ego a bit. "You do…?"

"Yeah."

Now Zoro was really uncomfortable, and he had to look off to the side. The way that blue eye was scrutinizing him, it felt like Sanji could see the thoughts rattling around in his brain. "You still piss me off." Zoro's gaze snapped back to that one blue eye, "Even if you do look up to me, I hate your ugly ass. Got that?"

Zoro sneered while Sanji smirked back at him. Inwardly, Zoro was relieved to see that arrogant expression again. "Why would anyone look up to a pussy like you, target-brow?"

That damned smirk just got wider. "So is there anything else I should know about you, lettuce-head?"

Scowling, Zoro crossed his arms and shrugged, "Just ask a fucking question if you want to know something."

"If I do, will you tell me anything?"

There was a change in the tone of Sanji's voice. It became curious instead of teasing. Zoro uncrossed his arms and met Sanji's stare head on. He had nothing to hide. "Sure."

Sanji could only blink in surprise. He hadn't really been expecting Zoro to be so open. Well, he hadn't actually asked anything yet, so he shouldn't get too excited. "How long have you been in the force?"

Zoro flinched. Of all the questions the shitty blonde could have asked, he asked about one of the two things Zoro most hated to talk about… but he had promised to answer. "I grew up in the Police and Security Youth Force Institution, so you can say I've been a part of the force since I was four."

"You were there that young?"

"Yeah." Zoro swallowed and dropped his head as emotional pain tightened in his chest. "I was legally abandoned there by my parents. It seems I was a pain and cried too much so they didn't… want to deal with me."

It didn't matter that this man was an enemy, Sanji felt a lump form in his throat when he thought of a baby Zoro, left alone by shitty parents who would let a child think that something was wrong with him. That he was somehow responsible for being abandoned. "It wasn't your fault. All children cry. Your parents were just fucked up."

"Yeah. I know."

Zoro's voice was deep and soft. Sanji instantly realized that it didn't matter what he said right then, Zoro would probably always believe that he had caused his own parents to hate him. The lump in his throat threatened to choke him. Wordlessly, he stuffed his smoke in his pocket, grabbed Zoro's arm and dragged him back inside to the kitchen. If words couldn't help, then he would make a dish so amazing that the shitty moss-head would have that sorry expression blasted straight off his stupid face! He was much better with food than with words anyway.

Zoro seated himself on a small stool in a corner and silently watched Sanji cook. He'd never seen the blonde really cook before-the thing with the shitty salad certainly didn't count. Zoro couldn't help but find himself fascinated. The way Sanji moved in his kitchen was just like when he fought; all flowing grace and confident efficiency. In a surprisingly short time Sanji was holding a dish under his nose, that one blue eye watching him expectantly.

Zoro eyed the steaming food, "Macaroni?"

"Eat it." Nothing on earth could match the power of macaroni and cheese in beating off the blues-especially Sanji's macaroni and cheese.

Zoo obediently took the plate and spoon offered him, and scooped up a bite. Creamy cheese sauce, soft noodles, and a thick, gooey cheese crust coated his tongue in a blissful harmony. As he chewed, Zoro discovered little chunks of ham hiding playfully in the sauce. It was so damn good! He couldn't help himself as he smiled up at Sanji. "Thanks. It's not bad."

Sanji felt content as he watched the dark look melt right off Zoro's face as he ate. "You're welcome, idiot." He served himself a plate and dragged another kitchen stool up near Zoro. The good food kept the silence comfortable as they simply shared each other's company for a moment. Sanji felt a little awed and maybe nervous that Zoro had so easily shared something that personal. He knew that he would never be able to be that open with anyone. There were things he hadn't even told Luffy, and Luffy was pretty much his best friend. It made him feel anxious and guilty that Zoro was trusting him that much. Sanji only hoped that he would be able to get the information he needed quickly. If he found out too many things like this about the moss-head, he would be in serious danger of getting too attached.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Zoro helped him wash up the dishes without even being asked. Sanji handed a pot over for him to dry and observed the meticulous way Zoro made sure each item was moisture free before going into the rack. Finally there were no more dishes and the silence was stretching thin. Sanji gestured for his new kitchen chore boy and marched to the dining area doors. "Let's see how much damage Franky has done to my bar!"

A moment later, Zoro found himself utterly confused about what it was that he was seeing. Franky had a far too small guitar, that he was strumming while belting out obviously made-up-on-the-spot lyrics; Usopp was missing his shirt and was standing on the bar proclaiming the three-thousandth, two-hundredth and second reason there was no better sniper in the land; Brook was accompanying Franky with beer mugs with varying levels of water and some spoons; Johnny was listening to Usopp, obviously drunk out of his mind as he cheered everything the longnose said; finally Yosaku was curled up under a table, drooling and snoring like a chainsaw, while wearing Usopp's missing shirt backwards.

Zoro scratched his head in wonder. Even when he managed to figure out where everyone was, he was still puzzled as to how exactly everything had gotten so wild in such a short time.

Sanji stood, shaking in silent rage as he cast his gaze over piles of dirty mugs and empty bottles. Franky would have to work at the Baratie until he rusted solid to pay off the damages from tonight! Something finally snapped in his brain when he saw that special bottle of wine he kept for lady customers, rolling completely empty, on the floor. He launched himself bodily at Franky, legs moving in a blur as he landed hit after hit on the startled cyborg. "Franky you fucking pile of walking scrap! You fucking, fucked up my fucking bar! I'm going to break off your shitty head and use it as a doorstop!"

Zoro collected his drunken group of friends and made a tactical retreat. Hopefully the cook would kill Franky and forget the fact that it was Zoro who had brought the other troublemakers to the bar. Right, and his hair was now purple. Why was that when he had just managed to make up with Sanji, he found an even worse way to piss him off?


	8. Chapter 8

8.

* * *

Smoker growled in frustration as he watched the proceedings in the interrogation room. Their prisoner was being most uncooperative; they had only been able to learn his name, Kohza Sanden, from his state identification. Smoker was still waiting on a warrant to search the listed address, but it would speed things up considerably if the damn man would just _talk_! He knew Sanden was associated with the Strawhats; he just didn't have any proof. Yet.

In time he would not only have a warrant, but video footage of his suspect, gathered from local and satellite surveillance using facial recognition software. He could only hope that his gut feeling was right and Sanden had done something conveniently stupid within the last month. Unless the fucker was obsessively careful, there had to be at least one video of him associating with a known criminal and with his face fully visible.

Smoker tapped his cigar on the ledge of the viewing window and listened carefully to every answer reluctantly given, searching for every scrap of information that could possibly be exploited. The examiner was a plain-faced officer who left very little impression, but was known for not being intimidated by the antics of even the most twisted criminal during an interview. So far he had been leading a decent interview. Smoker couldn't blame the officer for not being able to pry any good information out of such a tight-lipped prick.

"Mr. Sanden, have you recently or at any time relayed sensitive government information-potentially facilitating or even directly causing criminal activities-to the criminal organization known as the Strawhat gang?"

Sanden clammed up completely and was doing a good job of glaring furiously at the questioner over cracked glasses. A bruise was darkening on his jaw, and his lower lip was swollen and scabbed over from where the skin had been split. Apparently the bastard had put up quite a struggle when he'd been discovered trying to board a garbage boat heading across the river to Prior Camden. Smoker briefly wondered if a few more hits to the head might not get some answers out of the stubborn little fuck. Unfortunately, Sanden wasn't Altered.

Smoker ruefully eyed the numbers tattooed on the underside of his own wrist as he smoked. Here, when an individual submitted themselves for genetic alterations, they also signed themselves over as property of the American Continental States government for the rest of their unnatural lives. It had been originally intended to help contain the damages from failed experiments, but it was quickly interpreted in such a way as to allow certain methods of control and containment that would otherwise be illegal. In other words; no one would give a shit if Smoker beat Sanden to hell to get his answers if the guy happened to be Altered, but since Sanden was True, his superiors would rather let a potential lead walk out the door than let Smoker do his job. It was fucked up, but Smoker had already learned to live with the system.

Something the examiner said finally set the stubborn man off. Smoker moved closer to the glass as Sanden leaned across the table. "If I were associated in any way with this 'gang' you keep hounding me about, I would be proud. I read the news, and I know. Those guys aren't like the other gangs around this shitty city. They don't kill, and they don't resell the people they rescue to warlords on the black market!"

The examiner also leaned closer. "They aren't freeing people. They are stealing valuable government property and putting it out on the streets and potentially right into the hands of very dangerous men. You think they're doing society a service? The Strawhats are doing their part in arming public enemies with volatile living weapons, and they are no doubt profiting from the business as well."

"They are people!" Sanden was half-standing, restricted by the cuffs chaining him to the table, red in the face and screaming.

Smoker clenched his jaw so hard that the still-burning end of his cigar fell to the ground, cut through by his teeth. He stomped over to a nearby bin and angrily spat the butt into the can. He wanted to punch a wall, and he wasn't sure who had pissed him off more; the idealistic Sanden, or the fucking _normal_ interrogator. He took a deep breath to collect himself before marching to the intercom and hitting the button, "That's enough. Let him sit while we wait for the papers." He turned sharply on his heel and stalked off toward his office. He needed another cigar.

As Smoker left, his secretary coolly scooped up the remains of the cigar on the floor and threw it away before following the irate inspector, quickly falling into step in her customary place; two paces behind and to the left. She adjusted her glasses and evaluated the erratic behavior of the inspector with annoyance. Her assignment should have been easy for a woman of her talents. She simply had to monitor one Altered subject for the Continued Observation and Preemptive Sedation Program. Many monitors had to deal with more than one subject at a time. However this subject never seemed to remember manners at the right times, and regularly put her into morally compromising situations. She should file another sexual harassment claim.

-/-/-/-/-/-

After leaving numerous phone messages, screaming and cussing Zoro out thoroughly for the behavior of his shitty friends, Sanji had finally caved and agreed to spar with the green idiot again. However, a few days after 'barmageddon', Sanji found himself no closer to finding out the information he needed for the Strawhats' next job. How exactly did he bring up questions like 'how many of your coworkers carry weapons?' while dodging punches? So even though he greatly enjoyed receiving phone calls from his lovely Nami twice a day, her latest threat to have Robin neuter him if he didn't learn _something_, had led him to admit he needed a better plan, and spurred him into action. For the sake of his swans, Robin and Nami, and for the sake of his family jewels, Sanji was about to enact a plan that he very much _loathed_.

"Hey, fucking grass-man."

"Go to hell, idiot curlicue-face. What do you want?"

Sanji smiled in satisfaction at the irritated voice sounding through the receiver. Just because he had to be 'friendly' didn't mean he couldn't still enjoy deliberately pissing Zoro off whenever he had the chance to get away with it. "I need a favor. Let me stay at your place for a while."

There was a long enough silence on the other end of the call for Sanji to get nervous.

"What happened?"

Zoro actually sounded concerned. Sanji would have taken time to feel touched if telling his next lie didn't put him in the same amount of pain emotionally as ripping out his own teeth with pliers. "We had a fight and my girlfriend… asked for space."

A deep laugh sounded through the speaker, and instantly had Sanji grinding his molars in frustration. He never had a problem with the ladies- they all simply liked to play hard to get-and he didn't like Zoro thinking that he did.

"So she kicked your sorry ass to the curb? Did she finally realize she didn't want curly-freak children"

"No! We're just taking a little break, and she still wants me, asshole!" Nami definitely wanted him, even though she was too shy to say as much.

"Is that so? Not many girls are into that, but I always figured you were into that type of play." Sanji turned bright red and longed to be able to scream into the receiver loud enough to make the fucker on the other end explode in a shower of blood. However, before he could at least _try_ to murder Zoro through the phone, the bastard kept talking, and interrupted his impending rant, "Honestly, I personally don't have a problem with you staying as long as you need. I don't think it will be an issue at all, but let me ask Usopp before I can tell you yes."

Zoro's quick change from mocking to sincerity, left Sanji stranded in-between emotions as he heard the moss-head put down the phone, and his heavy footsteps hurry away. "Don't walk away before I can yell at you, fucker!"

-/-/-/-/-/-

Zoro chuckled when he could hear Sanji's screeching through the phone all the way from his doorway as he went to get Usopp. No doubt he'd pay for his fun later, but right now it felt great getting the cook so riled.

He peeked his head into Usopp's room where the longnose was tinkering with some weird gadget at his desk. "Usopp, I have something to ask you."

"Sure. What's up?"

"Do you care if Sanji crashes here with us for a while? He's pissed off his girlfriend pretty bad."

Usopp grinned, "He did? I don't really mind if he stays for a while. We all keep overnight hours, mostly, so it should be fine."

Smiling back at his roommate, Zoro could feel himself getting a little excited about living with Sanji. No doubt he'd try to kill the blonde in his sleep at some point, but it would be a great chance to learn more about who he was as a person, as well as a fighter.

"Hey, Zoro? Do you think Sanji will cook for us?"

Zoro's eyes widened. He hadn't even thought of that! A sly grin spread across his features "Oh yeah. He said it was no problem." It didn't matter if the fucker tried to protest, Zoro would make this so.

"Cool! Maybe we can have a welcome-to-the-apartment party? I could invite Kaya and Brook!"

"Sounds good. Do it for tonight." Oh yeah, he was definitely going to have the shitty cook make a huge feast for all of them tonight, and he would be able to eat amazing food until he popped! Zoro trotted back to the phone, and smiled at the irate silence on the other end. "Usopp said it would be fine as long as you cook at least one meal a day."

"Easy. Is that all? Should I give you anything for rent?"

"Nah, just pay for any extra groceries. Also can you cook tonight? Usopp got excited and invited some people over to meet you. You know how he is…"

"Sure. I'll be over with my stuff in less than an hour."

Zoro heard the other end click, and threw his phone back onto his cluttered nightstand. He looked around at his bedroom. It made the most sense to set up the cot in here. Usopp's room was too small, and he didn't feel like tripping over Sanji's shit in the living area everyday. Smirking to himself, he shoved his bedroom furniture around to make space. It had been too easy to get Sanji to agree to cook for them. Zoro was looking forward to having good food everyday.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Sanji smiled as he slipped his phone into his pants. It had been all too easy to get Zoro to let him in the apartment. All he he to do was cook and they would let him stay for as long as he needed. If everything went this well, maybe he wouldn't even have to be there past a couple of days! He should have no problem getting to classified force information if he was living with two officers, and the sooner he had Zoro out of his hair, the better.

As he gathered a few stray items, the reality of what he was about to do hit him. He was going to live in someone else's house, and that someone was a green-haired, fucking _man_. Not mention the other, also male, skinny fucker. Why couldn't he have made friends with female officers? The initial realization of having to live closely with two men was almost horrible enough to make him call it all off. What did he care if Robin snapped Zoro's neck like a twig and bent Usopp into a knot? Wouldn't that solve all his problems? Then he could leave all the spying to the people who were actually _good_ at it.

Well…

Maybe he care a little. Mostly about Usopp though; he was nice enough for a guy with a freakishly long nose. As for how he felt about Zoro… Who else would he take out all his stress on? Living with the mossy bastard as his punching bag would be more convenient for his daily exercise than going to the gym.

He started to list how his new living arrangements would be more convenient for him; in a decent neighborhood, close to his favorite restaurant to take dates, and rent free. However his mind kept betraying him and returning to that one dinner they had all shared and how it had actually been enjoyable. Zoro was surprisingly funny, interesting and a good drinking companion. Usopp was entertaining and sincere.

If he was honest, he would admit he had liked being with the two of them that night. Even without ladies. He couldn't really remember the last time he had just hung out with friends before that. No meetings. No stress. No threat of arrest. If he was honest, Sanji would admit that he was actually looking forward to this.

Too bad he'd become quite the liar recently.

* * *

_I forgot to mention last time that I put up another drawing link on my profile. If you want to see baby Zoro cry as much as I do, go and check it out. _

_I __am a terrible human being._


	9. Chapter 9

9.

* * *

Sanji balanced a tray piled high with succulent treats on his one hand, and elegantly made his way over to the beautiful lady standing in the corner. She smile shyly to see him, and his heart fluttered like moth in his chest. He bowed gracefully, regretfully breaking contact with those crystalline eyes. "Allow me to serve you, my lovely one. I have brought you a choice of fine dishes made by my own hand!"

"Thanks."

The deep, masculine voice startled him as much as the entire tray of food being lifted right from his palm. Sanji shot upright and spun, only to see an idiot with dark eyes and green hair munching his way through the tray. "H-how dare you!" The moss-head only arched an angular brow at the accusatory finger pointing his way, and continued to defile Sanji's carefully arranged plating with his thick fingers.

Sanji realized the tray was a lost cause and turned back to the lady to apologize. His jaw dropped as he stared at the giant animal cracker standing where his beautiful swan had been only moments before. It was… a giraffe?

"Wha…?"

Before he could formulate an actual question, the ill-defined cookie-giraffe opened it's mouth and began to beep.

Sanji cracked open one blue eye as his brain was still trying to brush away the wisps of his crazy dream. He quickly became aware that an alarm clock was still sounding steadily nearby. At least that explained part of the creepy giraffe from his dream. Sanji reached out to hit his snooze button, but his hand brushed through empty air. Startled, his eyes opened wide just in time to see a large shadow very close to him shift and mumble in a soft, sleepy rumble. The obnoxious beeping mercifully stopped.

The absence of sound let Sanji focus on trying to think. The ache of a mild hangover was still fogging up his memories. He was not at his home. Why was he not at home?

The same dark figure from before, sat up and rubbed at its face. Sanji squinted at the faint outlines, and for some reason he found himself expecting to see green hair…? Wait! Now he remembered; yesterday he had tricked Zoro into letting him live in his apartment. They had all thrown a small party last night. He had met Usopp's girlfriend, and Brook hadn't come because he was meeting up with Franky! Relief at finally remembering relaxed his body, and he happily snuggled deeper into his pillow. Everything was fine. He felt drowsy and content-until he remembered that he was unintentionally awake.

What time was it anyway?

Sanji rolled over to look at where he'd stuck his own alarm. "Fucking hell!" His anger was instantaneous. It was only fucking three-thirty in the afternoon!

"Sorry, I forgot to warn you that I get up around now." Zoro's deep voice was still husky from sleep.

Sanji turned again, but couldn't help feeling that his fierce glare wasn't as effective in the half-light. "Why the fuck do you wake up this damn early? You don't work until late right?"

Zoro's shrug was only barely visible, "I get up to train. You are welcome to join me." Zoro took Sanji's pillow-muffled groan to mean a rejection of his offer, "Alright, I'll see you in a few hours."

The grass-man got up this early every day? He would be waking Sanji up with that fucking alarm _every, single day_? Shit. Later Sanji would pull the plug on that thing, or kick it into tiny pieces. For now though, he would try to get back to sleep. Maybe this time he could manage to keep his dream-women from turning into giant foods.

While waiting for sleep to reclaim him, Sanji wondered if maybe he should close up the bar tonight. Yesterday's party had gone late into the night and well into dawn. Usopp's girlfriend had left before it got too far past midnight, but the three men, acclimated to working overnight, had stayed up drinking, laughing and playing cards until after eleven in the morning. Normally he wouldn't think twice about closing up for a night, however, today was Tuesday, and on Wednesday mornings after his shift he had a particular custom that was very important to him. He really didn't want to skip the most rewarding part of his week for a lame reason like partying too late with a goofy longnose and a bastard grass-man.

When he woke up, he would make himself a whole pot of ridiculously strong coffee. That should keep him going. After all, coffee was the answer to all things.

-/-/-/-/-/-

An hour later, Sanji was still awake and growing more pissed by the second. This was entirely and completely the fault of that asshole, Zoro. Since he was obviously going to be awake and miserable against his will, it stood to reason that Zoro should also be made to be miserable. Sanji threw off his covers and got up to do just that.

Sanji's curled right eyebrow twitched in irritation as he observed Zoro doing one-handed push-ups in the middle of the living area. He let his lips curl in disgust as he watched the rivulets of sweat slide over Zoro's bare back. Did this broccoli-headed idiot really have to do that right where everyone had to walk? The fucker was entirely in the way and dripping all over the nice rug.

Zoro continued counting under his breath, keeping time with each smooth movement of his body. He had noticed Sanji, but there wasn't even the smallest pause in his exercise. He switched hands and carried on with his routine, even as Sanji padded closer in his bare feet. He was expecting the blonde to make his way into the kitchen and hopefully cook them all breakfast. That would be the ideal-but he also wouldn't have been surprised if Sanji had gone to sit and watch the television. Usopp often did that right after he woke up. Unfortunately, he was entirely caught off guard when the curly-browed blonde stalked over and spitefully stomped a heel right down on his ass. Zoro yelped in shock as Sanji pointedly ground his foot down-hard, pinning his waist to the floor. Then the fucker proceeded to fucking _walk_ over his body, using his rear like a step. Zoro's anger flooded every corner of his brain, making him see red. He scrambled to his feet, already fantasizing about just how he would fucking break off the shitty cook's leg and stuff it down that smirking mouth. "What the hell is your goddamn problem!"

He could still see the smug smile on Sanji's stupid face as the asshole walked casually into the kitchen. "Sorry. You were in my way and I mistook you for a shitty lawn."

"Bastard!"

Zoro moved quickly for all his muscled bulk, but Sanji was faster. Zoro jerked to a halt as a heel barely brushed threateningly against the front of his windpipe. He glared at the unfazed, blue-eyed blonde. Fuck this fucker and his damn flexible legs! How the hell did he get his foot up like that in such a small space? A a warning flashed in Sanji's eye, and Zoro backed off slightly. "This isn't over you piss-haired, bitch!"

"Fuck you too! At least my hair is a human color, you fucking weed!"

Zoro snarled back, "What's human about you, shitty spiral?" Sanji leaped at him with a feral growl and Zoro met the attack, eager for violence.

Usopp stumbled into the room a few minutes later, still rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He was just in time to witness Sanji cracking the dining room table into splinters when Zoro dodged out of the way. "Wha? Guys! Don't fight here! Do you want us to get evicted?"

Usopp's high, panicky tone made both brawlers pause and asses the damages. Stressed and still furious, Zoro pushed a hand through his haphazardly spiked hair. "Hell. Look what you've done, dumbass. You're going to have to pay for all this shit you broke."

"Me?" Sanji was indignant, "I wasn't the one who went bat-shit crazy and started attacking! I was only defending myself! Go fuck yourself. I'm not paying for your shit!"

"Guys?" Usopp watched helplessly as yet another argument broke out, both men shouting right in each other's faces. What was going on? Hadn't everyone gotten along just fine before they all had gone to bed? He thought for a while and could only think of one answer.

He would have to text Brook and warn him that their friends had both turned into dangerous and violent lunatics overnight.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Later, Sanji mulled over what had happened between him and Zoro. He hadn't been surprised that the guy pissed him off, but it was a little unnerving how quickly it all had escalated. They had gotten into arguments before. They had even punched and kicked each other around a little, but that fight earlier…? The look in Zoro's eyes wasn't one Sanji had seen before-Zoro had been truly angry and very willing to hurt him. Sanji knew in his heart that he couldn't really blame Zoro for getting like that either. The whole fight had started with Sanji being a dick.

He looked around the bar one last time. The fight had bothered him so much that he'd hadn't barely been able to concentrate on his job. Maybe if he went grocery shopping on his way home, he could surprise his roommates with something special-and maybe even make up with Zoro. There was no way he would pay for all the broken objects by himself. He wasn't solely responsible for all the mess. However he was willing to make amends in other ways for his part in the whole thing. Sanji was bad with talking about his feelings. He hadn't been raised in an environment that encouraged heart-to-heart talks. However he was taught to believe that special foods were how someone showed how much he cared for those close to him. He wanted to apologize to Zoro, but he just couldn't say 'I'm sorry'. So he would cook up a storm to show how much he wanted soothe the anger between them.

But why exactly did the thought of Zoro hating him, seem so awful?

He knew that his espionage assignment would be much harder if the person he was trying to get close to hated his guts. That was the only reason. He didn't really like being with Zoro that much.

Right then.

Satisfied that he had managed to clean things up properly, even in his distracted state, Sanji closed up his bar and made certain it was properly locked. He strode to his aero-car and checked the bags in the back again to make sure they wouldn't topple or slide. Everything was in good order. Now, he just had that one more thing on his agenda before he would head home. Sanji pulled up into traffic and flew down the skyways toward the slums of Old Philadelphia, festering along the dirty river. A wide smile grew on his face as he anticipated the reactions to his arrival.

* * *

_I struggled with this one. I had a few different plot directions that I was considering, but in the end I feel the next chapter will make this one headache of a chapter worthwhile. You guys should chime in and let me know if I seem to be headed in an interesting direction... or you could just say what you like/dislike in general. Who knows? One of you might give me an awesome idea for the future._


	10. Chapter 10

10.

* * *

Zoro rolled his shoulders in an attempt to relieve some of the tension he was feeling. He had been trudging through slums and alleys for hours, and weariness was setting in. Tonight had sucked. First there was that fight with the shitty blonde-it was unbelievable how much shit that fucker could break in an hour-and now Inspector Smoker had been riding his ass to find one shitty criminal in whole fucking ghetto full of shitty criminals. Honestly, he was so pissed at Smoker for running him around like an idiot, that he really couldn't feel very mad at Sanji anymore. Hopefully the next time he saw target-browed cyclops, the fucker would behave himself, and stay the fuck in the kitchen. Smoker was another story. There was no way he wouldn't want to not murder the man within the next year. They had been hunting down a single lead all night. The fucking Inspector must have sent them all over the goddamn Riverside, looking for a particularly shady character identified by the surveillance monitors as an escapee Altered called Bon-Zoro had seen the footage, and he felt a little relieved that they hadn't yet encountered that visual atrocity. However, no success meant more useless slogging through filthy and decaying neighborhoods. If their shitty wonderful streak of bad luck held out, they could all go back to the station soon to get their asses chewed out, and let the next shift of poor bastards pick up where they had left off.

Smoker would be more than a little pissed if they brought back no results, but as far as Zoro was concerned, that shitty, Altered asshole could go fuck himself. Zoro knew his city. The recent arrest of a suspected Strawhat spy would have already gotten out in certain circles. Everyone who was anyone would be staying under the radar for a while. Bon had to know that the force would connect him to Sanden, and he would be laying low like the rest of them. Zoro yawned hugely and scratched idly under his bulletproof vest. He glanced uninterestedly around yet another dead-end, vacant alley. Bon might not even be hiding out in the Riverside any more. Most criminals went over to Prior Camden to wait out the force sweeps.

"Zoro!" Usopp's voice crackled in the micro-radio clipped to his ear.

"Did you find him?" Zoro cringed dreading the answer. They were already working overtime. At this point Zoro just wanted his lecture for the day so he could clock out, grab a beer, and lounge around in his sweats. Maybe Sanji would even stop being a bitch long enough to cook for them all.

"No, but there is a suspicious gathering in a warehouse bordering the next alley over from your position."

"Can you see how many individuals?"

There was a pause, and Zoro waited patiently for the sniper to respond. "There are at least six or seven adults. I can only just barely see in through some gaps in the boards in entrance. I don't have any decent visuals."

"Can you tell if there are any windows in the alley?"

"No, sorry."

"I'm going closer to check things out. Usopp, get in position to cover that alley, okay?"

Brook's voice came through the earpiece, "Zoro, I am almost a mile from your location, but I will be there to back you up shortly."

"I see your signal on the map, Brook." Usopp sounded a little nervous, "Zoro, don't rush in there without backup. Wait for Brook?"

His teammates could practically hear his cocky smirk over the radio. "When have I ever let you guys down? Don't worry, I'm just moving in to assess the situation."

Usopp sighed wearily and concentrated on stilling his shaking fingers. He watched anxiously through the sight of his gun as Zoro slipped into the targeted alley. Please, please, please let Zoro just wait for once for Brook to get there before jumping straight into a nest of rabid gangsters!

-/-/-/-/-/-

Zoro adjusted his gloves and tested the slide of the three swords resting at his side. If he was walking into trouble he needed to be prepared. He tread as lightly and quietly as was possible in his heavy, combat boots. His heart began to beat hard with excitement as he heard muffled sounds from within the boarded-up building. Encountering a window in the alley, he moved closer, but a large sheet of plywood was effectively obscuring any view into the structure. Irritated, he looked further down the alley. Each window had been given the same treatment. Maybe he should just go around the front and take a look?

His heart skipped a beat as he spotted what appeared to be a doorframe down at the end of the alley. Zoro walked over to it carefully and drew two of his swords.

"Zoro?" Usopp's concern was evident in his tone, "Do you see something?"

"There's a door." He kept his voice low, although a glance through the conveniently ajar entrance showed no one on the other side. "I'm going in."

"Zoro! Don't d…" Usopp's plea was cut off as Zoro silenced his earpiece. The plasma current running along the edges of his unsheathed swords sputtered and pulsed softly. His weapons were just as eager for a little action as he was right then. All his previous exhaustion was blown away by a surge of adrenaline. Zoro drew in a breath, sharpening his awareness, and pushed carefully through the open door.

He found himself standing in some sort of smaller, enclosed entryway containing doors and steps to various levels of the warehouse. Zoro chose to stick to the ground level. Who knew how well the second floor of a building this neglected would hold? He glanced around the corner of the entryway and saw movement. There were definitely people in here. He took a defensive stance and carefully sidled out into the main room. Now he could better observe a few men standing around. They didn't spot him or appear to be armed in any way. Zoro decided to press his advantage, and stepped out into full view.

"Everyone down on the ground and place your hands where I can see them! You are all under arrest for breaking into and entering government held property!" He made sure his voice was as imposing and authoritative as possible.

The men he had first observed dropped without a fight to the dirty concrete, whimpering softly. Zoro shifted to examine the rest of the perpetrators and suddenly froze in shock. One horrified blue eye was staring at him from a familiar face framed by blonde hair.

Zoro unconsciously lowered his swords from their threatening pose. "Fucking hell! Sanji? What the fuck are you doing here?"

Sanji closed his open mouth with a snap and gritted his teeth, his posture annoyed and defensive. "Well I'm not scaring the shit out of a group of poor, homeless souls with fucking plasma weapons!"

Frowning, Zoro looked around at the terrified group of men, women and _children_, who most definitely looked impoverished and utterly harmless. "Fuck!" Zoro sheathed his weapons and stomped over to his shitty new roommate. "What the fuck is this, Sanji? Are you trying to get arrested?"

Sanji uncrossed his arms to gesture to some shoddy tables to one side. "I'm feeding the hungry, dumbass. The leftovers from the Baratie are perfectly good and there's no reason not to serve it, but customers won't come for leftovers. I refuse to throw out good food, so I do this every week." Sanji glared darkly at Zoro. "This is the first time I've had any trouble."

Zoro growled in frustration, "You can't just run around on government property and do this! There are laws! Why don't you just take this stuff to a designated soup kitchen? These people can get the help they need there!" Zoro looked down in irritation at the individuals still trembling in the dirt. "Get up already. I don't have the time to arrest a bunch of bums."

Sanji swiftly closed the distance between them to snarl directly in Zoro's face, "Soup kitchens?! Do you even know what goes on in places like that? You have to get approved before you are allowed any food. They all keep records of the people who come, and they arrest anyone designated 'chronically homeless'. They send them to the farms, factories and sweatshops, Zoro!"

Zoro averted his face from Sanji's angry gaze. He knew the reputations of those types of places. Many activists had decried the homeless rehabilitation programs as modern concentration camps. However, Zoro couldn't change the law. "I can't do anything about that… but you can't come here like this anymore Sanji, or I'll be forced to do my job."

"Fine."

Zoro watched cautiously as Sanji stomped over to the tables. He couldn't help but think that his chances for a home-cooked meal had just jumped off a tall building. He hadn't wanted to rekindle the fight from last evening, but how the fuck was he supposed to know he'd find his roommate trespassing? With a resigned sigh, Zoro clicked his radio back on. No doubt by this time Usopp would be completely freaking himself out thinking that Zoro had been eaten by ravenous sewer-dwelling midgets, or something equally stupid.

"Zoroooooo! Answer meeeee!"

He instantly felt guilty at hearing the sniffles and pathetic sobs through his earpiece. "Sorry, Usopp. Everything is fine. It's just a bunch of homeless guys." Zoro kept watching Sanji from the corner of his eye. For some reason, it seemed like the blonde wasn't moving. "Shitty cook, hop to it. I have places to be."

"Do you still require any back up, Roronoa? I am right out in front of the building." Brook's question made him feel a sudden surge of panic.

"No!" Neither of his partners would question his decision to simply let Sanji go, but he didn't want either of the guys to be held responsible if somehow Smoker and his bitchy watchdog of a secretary found out. "It's okay, Brook. I've got this. Just get back to your last point. I just want to finish searching this part of the grid so we can go home."

"Very well." Brook didn't sound unhappy with his order.

"Zoro! Don't do that again!"

"I already said I was sorry. Stop crying and help Brook finish his section."

"I'm not crying! … I'm just allergic to the new padding on these goggles!"

Zoro chuckled softly and turned to see the slow-ass blonde staring at him with a strange expression. "What? Pack up and go home!"

"Fuck you! I'm still not wasting this food! If you want me gone faster, come help me wrap this stuff up so these people can take it with them."

Sanji had crossed his arms again, and was glaring hotly while _not_ leaving. "Goddammit. Okay, I'll help!" Zoro grumbled as he marched over, "Tell me what you want me to do."

-/-/-/-/-/-

Sanji couldn't stop stealing glances at his unusual assistant. It had been sobering to see Zoro storm the warehouse in full uniform. Black boots, black pants and shirt, a heavy belt and a fucking bulletproof vest all hammered the point home that Zoro really was an enforcer. It had been easy to fool himself into thinking there was some mistake-that Zoro really wasn't in the force-when all he had seen so far was the grass-man in baggy shirts and sweatpants. Witnessing the reality of what Zoro was, had bothered Sanji a lot.

Not that he'd ever compare his volatile friendship with the green fucker to his relationships with beautiful women; Sanji had never been the type to love them and leave them. Even when he parted ways with a woman, they were usually still on pretty good terms. He was starting to realize the reality of the fact that when this was all over, it would really be over. None of them could stay friends. He could never see Zoro, or Usopp, or any of their crazy pals again, and it dug at his conscience like a thorn.

Sanji refused to analyze any of those pesky emotions further, and instead forced his thoughts over to other topics. He was dying to ask about those swords the moss-head was carrying around. He knew the force issued a variety of plasma weapons, many unique to their wielders, but what the hell was up with the guy having _three_ swords? Maybe he would ask later, when Zoro didn't have such a scary look on his face.

There was a deep crease in-between his angular brows, as Zoro glared intently at the packages of food he was wrapping. Sanji cast a concerned look over his shoulder, and confirmed his worries. All the hungry people that had gathered were too terrified of the enforcer to get close. Sanji's lips tugged down in a frown. What would it take for that great, hulking asshole to look less like he was planning to arrest and brutally beat everyone present?

Zoro had soon finished with his assigned portion of the food and turned, a few packages in hand. To Sanji's eternal shock and awe, the moss-head dropped to one knee, and made eye contact with a dirty and terrified girl. Zoro held out the food, and Sanji's heart completely stopped when the fucker just _smiled_.

It wasn't a smirk, or a mocking sneer. It was an honest-to-god, brilliant smile. Sanji shuddered as his heart leapt back into action; and damn, but that expression looked fucking _good_ on Zoro.

The little girl Zoro had focused on, shyly came close and accepted her package, and it didn't take everyone else long after that. Sanji quickly finished his share, and joined in the distribution. However, even while he was engaging the people in his own way, he couldn't help but admire Zoro, just a little, for how quickly he had put everyone at ease. He was actively smiling and speaking with various people, uniform and all, and it didn't feel unnatural. The only strange thing was the twinge of jealousy in Sanji's gut.


	11. Chapter 11

11.

* * *

Zoro yawned so hard his jaw cracked. He ached all the way down to his bones, and all he could think about was a hot shower, food and a beer. His grand plan was to take the shower, then eat and drink in front of the TV, and let himself pass out-at least until Usopp kicked him off the couch and made him go to bed.

His fingers fumbled slightly while he did up his jeans, and he rocked forward sleepily as he began to nod off, despite that he was still standing. "Zoro." Usopp gently shook his shoulder to rouse him. "Come on buddy. Put on your shirt, and lets go home."

Zoro mumbled in response and wearily pulled on his tee-shirt. He turned to see Usopp texting a message on his phone. "Kaya?"

"No. It's Sanji. He's already back at the apartment and he wanted to know when we'd get there."

"Mmmm." Zoro ambled over to look at Usopp's message, but the text had already been sent. He frowned, suddenly realizing something important. "When did Sanji give you his number?"

Sanji hadn't texted _him_. He'd asked Usopp instead, and that somehow irritated Zoro. Wasn't Sanji supposed to be _his_ friend? Zoro had first met him at the Baratie, Zoro had given up a part of his room so Sanji could have a place to stay, and Zoro had covered for Sanji's skinny ass when he should have arrested the fucker.

Still Sanji would rather talk to Usopp. Ungrateful asshole. He should have at least threatened to throw him in jail earlier.

"He gave it to me at his welcome party!"

"Oh."

Usopp had known his partner a very, very long time. It didn't happen often, but right now it looked like Zoro was… sulking? It wasn't everyday that Zoro made a new friend. Usopp had already been amazed by how much his roommate had warmed up to Sanji. Right now he would say that what Zoro must be feeling was possessiveness toward his new buddy.

Usopp smiled knowingly and patted one muscular shoulder. "Ready to go?"

Zoro nodded and obediently followed Usopp outside to where the sniper had parked his precious Merry. With his face pressed to the window and his arms crossed, Zoro continued to look moody and irritated. "Hey, don't smudge the window."

Usopp fought to hold in a laugh as Zoro glared darkly back at him. Zoro still had a bright red mark from where he'd squished his cheek against the glass. Amused, Usopp kept observing his partner's behavior as he pulled up into traffic and headed for home. Never, ever in a thousand years would he be brave enough to say it out loud, but Usopp thought that Zoro pouting like this over Sanji talking to other friends, was evidence of how attached Zoro already was to the mouthy blonde. It was pretty cute… for such a big, scary jerk. He only hoped that Sanji would quickly see what he saw in his green-haired friend. Zoro could be scarier than most serial killers when he was mad, but he would battle armies and hellfire for any of his friends in a heartbeat; he never asked for any thanks either. As far as Usopp was concerned, he couldn't even begin to try to account for how much he owed Zoro after all the years. He could only do his best, in spite of his own anxieties, to watch his partner's back, and make sure that Zoro never remembered what it felt like to be alone.

Usopp continued to drive in silence. Allowing Zoro to drift off as he contemplated a few things. Something had been bothering Usopp about their new roommate... Something more than how Sanji had picked serious fights with Zoro before even being in their home for twenty-four hours. What was Sanji's intention in coming to live with them? They were all still practically strangers, but the cook had asked to stay with them instead of going to other friends. Zoro would never question something like that-he could be surprisingly trusting-but it nagged at Usopp. Now that he thought about it, Sanji had met most of their friends, but Usopp had never even heard Sanji talk about any of his. There was this girlfriend that Sanji was supposedly fighting with, but _he hadn't mentioned her even once_ the entire night of the welcome party. Usopp had actually planned the event partly as a way to cheer their blonde friend up. He knew that if he was having problems with Kaya, he'd be a useless mess for days… but Sanji had acted like there was no one special like that in his life at all.

Usopp hoped that his hunch was off, but he didn't think that Sanji was telling them the whole truth. He had a few theories of what might be Sanji's real story. Most of them involved a giant man-eating plant. At least he felt reassured that Sanji seemed to genuinely want to be friends with them, no matter the reason.

-/-/-/-/-/-

"…ake up. Zoro, wake up. We're home!"

Zoro batted at the finger poking his cheek and snuggled further into his seat. His mind was still muzzy from his nap, and barely registered soft rustling, followed by a low click. Something dropped into his lap, and Zoro hollered and hit his head against the car roof as that something began to shake and screech in a high, mechanical pitch. "What the fuck?! What the fuck?! What the fuck?!"

"It's my latest invention!" Usopp called out from his safe distance by the apartment door, "Usopp's-surefire-wake-up-Zoro-device number 31!" He winked and held up his thumb in a gesture of pride and confidence that instantly vanished as Zoro climbed from the vehicle with murder written all over his face. Usopp let out an unmanly shriek and ran for his life, Zoro hot on his heels.

"Open up and let me kill you, longnose fucker!" Zoro snarled as he pounded on his roommate's locked bedroom door. Not getting an answer, Zoro stepped back and seriously considered the merits of punching the damn door into splinters.

"What happened?"

Zoro's head snapped around so fast, his spine popped. He had completely forgotten about Sanji. The blonde was staring at him from the kitchen with one wide blue eye. "Nothing."

"It didn't sound like nothing. I could hear you screaming from in here." Sanji watched cautiously as Zoro approached the kitchen. The last few times he'd been alone with Zoro hadn't actually gone as planned. He couldn't be sure that Zoro wasn't still angry at him.

"It _was_ nothing. Did you cook?" Zoro peeked into the kitchen with curious, dark eyes.

Sanji let out a snort of laughter. "It's what I do, dumbass. I'm not in here to repaint your ceilings."

"Shut up." Zoro grumbled good naturally as he stepped fully into the kitchen area.

The first thing he noticed was a sleek new dining table… and it was piled high with his favorite foods. He froze, not knowing what to do. He was so _sure_ that Sanji would still be angry about all that had happened. Didn't he know from before that the shitty cook held grudges? "What is this?"

Sanji took in the soft question and the confused, vulnerable look in Zoro's expression. Relief filled him from head to toe. He hadn't fucked up yet. "It's food, or are you really that stupid?"

"But these are all what I like?"

Sanji smiled blindingly, "I know."

"Wha..?" Now Zoro was really lost. Sanji had cooked the recipes he liked _on purpose_?

"Usopp told me what you liked. Sit down and eat already. You're letting my food get cold, asshole."

That explained all the texting earlier.

Zoro eagerly took a seat and pointed at his plate, "Hey it's not paper!"

Sanji rolled his eyes. "No kidding. I burned those damn paper plates in the oven and sprinkled the ashes out the window. It's what the tree would have wanted."

Chuckling, Zoro filled his plate as full as he could and began to eat with gusto.

Sanji stepped to his side and carefully made up a plate to wrap and set aside for Usopp. No doubt the longnose would wait until it was completely safe before unlocking that door. When he had stored Usopp's share in the fridge, Sanji took a seat at the table and began to fill his own plate.

For a while there were only the sounds of silverware and chewing. Even though he was eating enthusiastically, Sanji could see that Zoro was tired. It was written in the uncharacteristic slouch of his shoulders, and the occasional droop of his eyelids. No doubt in the hours since they'd met unexpectedly by the river, Zoro had worn himself out looking for… bad guys.

Sanji swallowed nervously. Now was as good a time as any. "Hey." Zoro stopped chewing and looked up expectantly, "Um, so what were you doing down there anyway? At the warehouse?" Sanji hurriedly clarified, "I mean, I've done that a lot and have never… seen you there?"

Zoro swallowed before he answered, "We were after a pretty dangerous guy. My boss got a lead from one of our recent arrests."

"Oh. Did you catch him?"

"No."

"Why didn't you arrest… me?" Sanji asked the question cautiously. He wasn't sure how far he could push this topic before he got into too much trouble.

Zoro blinked sleepy, dark eyes and shrugged, "Couldn't be bothered to do the fucking paperwork."

Sanji just laughed. It felt good-the relief that Zoro didn't seem angry at all. "Well I won't argue with that. So, salad-head…" Zoro arched a brow in response, "Thanks for everything. I'm glad it was you, okay?"

The idiot sat there in stunned silence, just like the mossy rock he appeared to be. Sanji rolled his eyes, "Fucker, don't get all sentimental now. It's just a thank you for something any other shitty friend would have done. You're not special. Now eat your damn food. I'll break your thumbs if you waste my good cooking!"

Zoro couldn't stop smiling as he resumed eating. A warm feeling bloomed in his chest. Gratitude, home-cooked food, and good natured threats… Zoro was beginning to feel very special indeed.


	12. Chapter 12

12.

* * *

It seemed as natural as breathing for Zoro to join the cook as he busied himself with cleaning the tiny kitchen. Neither one of them said a word; they didn't have to. When a dish needed to be put away, leftovers wrapped or a door opened, it was done with perfect timing. Sanji briefly wondered at the feel of Zoro's body heat close at his arms, hips and up his sides. Somehow they brushed, but never collided. Somehow he knew just when and where Zoro would move. Sanji opened a drawer, and watched the resulting curve of Zoro's hips with fascination as the moss-head dodged with ease. Then he realized; each of them were moving they way they would in a spar. He knew where Zoro was planning to turn, because he had spent a month analyzing every twitch of those muscles and tendons. Sanji grinned. It was nice to have someone who was so compatible with him in a kitchen. Most other assistants couldn't keep up. Now that he had figured the secret behind their teamwork all out, Sanji decided to show the dumb, lettuce-head a thing or two.

He stepped up the pace, hands moving deftly as he cleaned and cleared. Zoro seemed to be falling behind, and Sanji was feeling pretty smug. He was going to make Zoro acknowledge that Sanji was the better man! However when Sanji turned to put a small bowl of fruit salad into the refrigerator, everything went wrong. Sanji's foot slid on a forgotten slice of cucumber peel, and the fruit salad went flying right into Zoro's chest.

The salad made contact with a wet splat, before sliding down the length of Zoro's front. The sound of the bowl shattering against the floor was the only sound as both men stood, frozen. Sanji's blue eyes went wide with horror. Of course he had to take things too far. His cheeks flamed with humiliation. Why did he have to compete over everything with Zoro? He had just ruined a very nice moment where they were actually getting along!

Zoro scowled down at the fruit and juice staining a path down his white tee-shirt and faded jeans, and Sanji held his breath. Now Zoro would kill him; no doubt using the shards of the broken bowl as a weapon. After a moment Zoro looked back up at Sanji and shrugged, "I was going to take a shower anyway."

He wasn't mad? Zoro's casual act of remission threw Sanji's understanding of Zoro into further chaos. First the warehouse and now this; it was almost beginning to look like that asshole wasn't all temper and bad manners. He watched the still-sleepy moss-head pad away toward the bathroom. Was Zoro actually a laid-back guy?

There was just no way! Zoro had been a rude fucker from the first day he'd met the guy, and Zoro had instigated just as many fights over the last month as Sanji. Even when they sparred, Zoro always got him riled with jabs about his "pansy-ass flailing" or his eyebrows. Always with the damn eyebrows! Sanji actually thought his eyebrows were sexy, but Zoro constantly made him feel insecure about his looks. Not that someone with that shitty hair should be accusing anyone about being ugly.

Sanji found himself growing more pissed by the second. Was that grass-man sweet and calm with everyone else, but a rude-ass dick with him around? The thought of Zoro deliberately only being a bastard to him, made him wish all over again that he'd never gotten himself involved with this whole mess. Sanji attacked the fruity carnage on the floor with a vengeance, cursing and grumbling about fucking, jerk grass-men.

-/-/-/-/-/-

It took a while for him to collect himself. Sanji not only cleaned the debris off the floor, but scrubbed every inch of the kitchen linoleum until it shined. His mind was still not settled, but Sanji did feel much better when he was done scouring. Zoro hadn't come out of the shower yet, and that was perfectly fine. Let the bastard stay in there until his entire body sprouted algae. Sanji didn't want to see his stupid face right now.

There was a soft click, and the sound of a knob turning, and Sanji snapped his head toward the sound. A long nose poked around the corner, followed by a round eye and curly black hair. Sanji let out a sigh of relief. "Hey, Usopp. I set aside a plate for you."

Usopp cast a cautious look at the still occupied bathroom door before eagerly coming to sit at the new dining table. "Did you make all the stuff I told you he liked?"

"Yeah."

"What did he say?"

Sanji grabbed Usopp's food from the fridge and tapped a finger thoughtfully against the underside of the plate. "He didn't say much really." His anger from earlier vanished entirely as he recalled Zoro's expressions while he ate. The bastard hadn't even said thank you, but yet Sanji felt that he had been thanked profusely. He had to make sure he cooked all of Usopp's favorites next time.

"You really did me a favor. Thanks Usopp."

"Hey, it's no big deal! I know absolutely everything about Zoro!"

"Really?" Sanji sat across from the longnose to keep him company as he ate. "How long have you been friends with Zoro?"

"Forevah."

Sanji flinched as Usopp spoke with his mouth full. "So you were friends back at the Police and Security Youth Force Institution?"

Usopp choked and stared at Sanji, startled, "He told you about that? About all of it?"

Sanji nodded, "Yeah. I was surprised that he told me something like that so easily."

"Whoa." Usopp's round eyes went even rounder. No wonder Zoro had been acting offended earlier. The big guy had already told Sanji his deepest secrets. "He even told you about Kuina?"

Sanji blinked, "Who?"

Uh oh. "Wait, wait, wait! Did you think I said Kuina? Haha, no! I said 'going too… een ya?'"

Raising a curled brow, Sanji looked Usopp dead in the eyes, making the longnose squirm pathetically, "So who is Kuina? Someone from the Institution?"

Zoro was going to really kill him now. Usopp's thin shoulders slumped, and he slouched in his seat. "Yeah. The three of us lived there. My mother died when I was nine, so I spent less time there than those two."

"I'm sorry about your mother." Sanji's tone was sad and gentle.

"It was a long time ago, so I'm okay. It wasn't like it was with Zoro."

Sanji nodded. Usopp had been loved and wanted. "That's good."

"Yeah. The two of them grew up there. Kuina's father was one of the combat technique instructors, and he raised her at the Institution. I think her mother passed when Kuina was still a baby? I'm not sure. Zoro probably knows. Kunia was two years older than me and Zoro."

"Was?" Sanji felt a sinking in the pit of his stomach.

Usopp's eyes grew shiny and wet. "S-she was killed. It was an accident really, but Zoro blames… himself."

Sanji's breath caught painfully in his throat. "Can you tell me what happened?"

Just as Usopp opened his mouth, the bathroom door opened. Usopp jumped up, still teary-eyed and sniffling. "Thanksforthefoodgottagobye!"

Zoro's right brow quirked in confusion as Usopp darted by him and barricaded himself in his own room again. Zoro looked at Sanji, who could only shrug helplessly. What on earth could he tell Zoro anyway? He wasn't sure he was ready to ask the moss-head himself about his dead, childhood friend.

* * *

_I decided to go ahead and post a short chapter instead of making you all wait more for a really long one. Tell you what, I'll make it up to you all for the short chappie. If you ask, I'll send you the paragraph of Sanji eye-raping Zoro that I ALMOST left in this chapter! Heh._

_Too bad it was just too soon._


	13. Chapter 13

13.

* * *

Nothing was going as planned. Sanji had tried to take advantage of Zoro's working hours, and searched the apartment while the two roommates were on shift. However, he had no fucking idea what most of the shit is Usopp's room even _was_, and Zoro's computer required a password. Sanji had tried 'greeny', 'boozer', and even 'fukface', but he couldn't figure out that password at all. Now, Zoro had him pinned painfully on the training mat at the gym, and that stubborn asshole look in the fucker's eyes clearly stated that he no intentions of letting Sanji up until he answered the damn question.

Sanji had managed to avoid Zoro's curious looks and queries for nearly an entire twenty-four hours. Not that Usopp had helped any. The shitty longnose had been acting as guilty as fuck ever since their conversation. Every time Zoro came too close, it seemed like the skinny bastard would burst into tears and babble pleas for his life. Sanji was frankly surprised that the two of them had been able to go to work together after all of that. Zoro was obviously growing more confused and frustrated as time passed, and he grew more persistent about getting an answer. There was no way Sanji would let himself crack, and make the mistake of talking first. He wanted to keep the peace between himself and Zoro for as long as possible. Usopp's reactions were beginning to make him paranoid. What if Zoro blew his top and threw him out of the apartment? Sanji still hadn't found out a single thing about the upcoming Altered transport slash escort that would be of any value to his precious Nami! She would begin to doubt his love if he didn't show some results soon… and he would begin to doubt himself if continued to feel so comfortable around these fucking government dogs.

Now Sanji was really beginning to worry that he would have no choice but to go back empty-handed. Zoro's dark eyes were glaring unbearably down at Sanji, and pricked his conscience like needles. Sanji tried to wriggle free again, and the bastard shifted himself so he was sitting more securely on the backs of Sanji's thighs. Now he really was trapped; belly and chest forced to the floor by one large hand pressing on his spine, and the other twisting Sanji's arm behind him in a near-painful triangular bend.

"Answer me. What the hell is going on with you two?" Zoro's voice dropped to an angry growl. What the fuck had gotten into his roommates?

"Let me up you goddamn green shit!"

"No."

More weight pressed that hand into his spine, and Sanji swore he felt his vertebrae pop all the way up to neck. "Fuck! Fine, I'll tell you!" He gasped as the air was slowly crushed from his lungs. "Let me up!"

Zoro smirked and eased himself back enough for Sanji to breathe. "You're not getting out of this, blondie. Now spill."

Sanji groaned and thumped his forehead against the blue mat. "Godfuckingdammit!" Zoro simply raised an eyebrow and waited. "We were talking about how long you and Usopp have known each other. He talked about the Institution… and a girl."

"Kuina…"

Zoro's weight jerked away, and Sanji carefully sat up and scooted around to face his consequences. He had been expecting anger and violence, but not the raw, deep _hurt_ that was in Zoro's eyes. "It wasn't Usopp's fault." For some reason Sanji felt he had to speak as gently as possible; as if his words could shatter the Zoro sitting in front of him wearing such a miserable and vulnerable look, "He thought that you had already told me."

"What…" Zoro's voice was tight and sharp, "Did he tell you?"

Sanji stared earnestly into those stormy, black eyes. He needed Zoro to believe that he hadn't meant any harm. "Just that there was an accident. I'm so sorry."

"It wasn't an accident." Zoro broke their shared gaze; his eyes were suspiciously shiny. "She died because of me."

Sanji's breath caught in his lungs when Zoro refocused that forlorn look on him. "You were just children…" He desperately wanted to reassure Zoro that there way no way he could have murdered his precious friend, but he just… couldn't.

"Do you want to know what happened?"

Sanji carefully continued to observe Zoro's body language. "Only if you can tell me." He didn't want to hurt Zoro unnecessarily.

"Usopp told you we were close?" Sanji nodded, "Did he tell you we used to train together?" Another nod.

Zoro took a deep breath, "She used to beat me all the time, you know." Zoro's lips quirked in a sad smile. "She was always better than me, but the instructors weren't satisfied."

Sanji settled himself into a comfortable slouch. "How so?"

"They warned her that her ability would plateau soon, and that she wouldn't improve beyond that level. They wanted her to get enhancement surgeries and other medical procedures."

Sanji was shocked, "What?"

Zoro nodded, "Yeah. Pretty much everyone at the Institution goes through at least one enhancement procedure."

"Like what?"

"Plating the bones, replacing natural tendons and even installing shielding under the skin over natural vulnerabilities…"

"But she refused?"

"She didn't believe in things like that." Zoro smiled more genuinely now, "She was obsessed with the war heroes of ancient history. She always used to talk to me about gladiators, Indian braves, and samurai. Kuina really liked samurai."

"Samurai?"

"Yeah. They were sword-fighters from a place called Japan. I think it was destroyed in a series of volcanic explosions? It was near Greater China."

"Swords? So you both used swords?"

"I started using them because of Kuina. I picked up a lot of things from her. She drove me nuts though."

Sanji smiled, "Sounds like you were good for each other."

Zoro grinned, "Bitch used to piss me off for kicks and kick my ass when I got mad. She called me chibi marimo."

Sanji laughed, "What the fuck is that?"

"It was one of those weird Japan things of hers. I think chibi meant something like 'shorty' and I guess the samurai used to grow these balls of moss in a lake somewhere and called them marimo."

"Oh god!" Sanji doubled over with laughter, "It suits you!"

"Shut up, curly."

Sanji took a moment to recover from his bout of hilarity, before returning to seriousness. "So what happened?"

Zoro's smile fell, "I didn't know that she was being pressured about surgery. I was too young for the procedures and I didn't know about them. One day she took me out to train like we usually did, but she brought real plasma swords."

Sanji drew in a quick breath, "She stole them?"

"No. They belonged to her. She was supposed to get them when her father thought she was ready. Kuina told me that she was going to be the greatest modern warrior, and that she would do it with her own strength." Zoro's hands clenched into fists, "She wanted me to help her train so she could show her father that she was strong enough to be the best on her own."

Sanji watched anxiously as Zoro visibly began to struggle, his big body shaking as he tried unsuccessfully to hide his anguish. "She told me to just stand there. We weren't used to the weight of real weapons, and she wanted tot go through some forms to help her adjust. But…" A small sob forced itself from Zoro's throat, and his body began to curl into itself.

"Zoro…" Sanji reached out, wanting to tell Zoro that he could stop. Sanji didn't want to hear anything if it would hurt like this.

Zoro jerked back from his hand, and glared back at him; tears were beginning to spill down his cheeks. "I should have fucking _moved_, Sanji. I saw her trip and I didn't fucking move! She…"

Sanji's heart froze. Oh god no.

"… fell… on my sword." Zoro held up his trembling hands. "I can still remember how it... felt when I fucking ran her through her throat! I… killed my best friend."

Sanji could only watch helplessly at Zoro fell apart at last and sobbed into his hands. Fuck. What could he say? He didn't know shit about how to fix this. He just had to go and fucking rub salt in Zoro's wounds by poking into things he had no business with! Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!

Slowly, Sanji climbed to his feet and stared down at Zoro's grieving form. Taking a deep breath, he drew on the only experience he had. Sanji kicked him in the head.

Zoro actually flew sideways a few feet, before landing on the mat in a daze. Sanji was on him in an instant, grabbing his collar and snarling into his tearstained face. "You are fucking weak! You were weak then, and goddammit, you're fucking weak now!"

Zoro didn't even twitch. He stared up with wide, hurt, dark eyes, looking for all the world like a child. Sanji couldn't stand it. He hated that look. Drawing back his fist, Sanji punched him right in the eye. "You think you could actually kill anyone? You're pathetic! You can't even beat me! Fucking, dumbass marimo!" Sanji sat back on Zoro's stomach, shaking out his stinging hand, and contemplating kicking the fucker in the nuts.

Sanji yelped when Zoro suddenly surged up, displacing him on to the mat, and wrapped him in a tight hug. "Shitty, cook..."

Relief filled him. Thank god the fucker had finally snapped out of it! Sanji returned the tight hold, and pulled Zoro even closer.

He rubbed Zoro's back a little before shifting to run a hand through surprisingly soft green hair. "You better listen to me bastard marimo. I'm much smarter than you, and I can kick your ass." Zoro snorted into his shoulder, but Sanji ignored it, "It's not your fault. It was a shitty accident." Sanji pressed his cheek to Zoro's neck, and he could feel the racing pulse there, beating near his ear, as it began to calm. "Usopp doesn't blame you. I don't blame you, and there's no fucking way someone as amazing as Kuina would blame you. It's not your fault, marimo."

They sat in silence for a long moment. Sanji continued to hold Zoro close, willing him to understand. How could such a caring man deliberately hurt his friends? They stayed like that until Zoro was completely calm again, and Sanji refused to think about how personal this was-for both of them.


	14. Chapter 14

14.

* * *

Sanji was feeling irritated and conflicted. This morning had been too much. He'd gotten too close, and now he was stuck with these _feelings_. Sanji liked Zoro; he really liked him. Zoro was sarcastic, honest, good to his friends, and strong. When Zoro had poured out the story of the horrible death of his friend to Sanji, it was precisely because Zoro was so strong. How else could he have let himself bare the scars on his soul like that? Sanji couldn't say he'd be able to do the same. He wasn't strong enough. He wasn't honest. He was using Zoro's friendship. He was a horrible person.

The dreams were only making him feel more awful. After everything that had happened, Sanji had dreamed vividly that he was lying in a vast field-alone. Only he didn't feel alone. The soft green grass brushed like silk against his skin, the warmth of the sunlight felt like body heat, and the scent on the wind was… Zoro. At that point, Sanji had jerked awake, and stared across the dark room at Zoro's sleeping form. Suddenly the space between them had felt like too much, and the insistent _ache_ in his heart terrified him.

Sanji had bolted from the bedroom to the kitchen, where'd he'd been cooking up a storm ever since.

"Damn it!" He just couldn't get thickness of his vegetables right! Sanji threw down his knife and gripped his hair in frustration. Cooking wasn't making him feel better. Why wasn't it making him feel better?

"What are you doing?"

Sanji whirled to see the source of his frustration eyeing the piles of prepared food on the table dubiously. This was all that damn marimo's fault! Sanji wanted to scream, to throw things, and to kick in that damn face so he wouldn't have to see those trusting eyes… Fuck. How had he gotten himself into this mess again?

Zoro turned to face him, and Sanji could see a multicolored shiner from where he'd clocked him in the eye. Crap. He hadn't meant to seriously hurt Zoro… Wait… yes he did! He wanted to hurt him now in fact!

Observing the kaleidoscope of emotions crossing Sanji's face, Zoro only took one step forward, but didn't come any closer. He wouldn't ask if Sanji was okay. He didn't want the table destroyed again. Zoro glanced at the clock. They had plenty of time. "Do you want to spar again before work? Because earlier, we… didn't really finish."

Zoro held his breath for an answer. He didn't know why Sanji was upset, but he wanted to make him feel better. Was Sanji still angry about how pathetic he'd acted over Kuina? He was okay now. He was okay because Sanji had held him and told him everything _was_ okay. If there was something wrong with Sanji, this time it was his turn to fix it. If it turned out that Sanji was upset with him… a fight should fix that too?

"Fine. Let's go now."

Sanji's voice was tight and clipped, and Zoro anxiously curled his hands into fists. The blonde was definitely still angry. "Alright. I'll change." Zoro rushed to change into something he could fight in; right now he doubted that Sanji would be patient enough to let him change at the gym. The glare in his eyes had said that Sanji was holding himself back from decking him on the spot.

Maybe a fight _would_ make him feel better. Sanji waited for Zoro with tension humming through every tendon in his body. Maybe if he beat the shit out of that damn marimo once and for all then Zoro would get the picture and back off. Sanji didn't want to be his friend. He didn't want to care. He wanted Zoro to stay the fuck away. Then neither of them could get hurt.

He didn't want to see that pain in Zoro's eyes ever again.

-/-/-/-/-/-

The two men circled each other cautiously. The air in the gym sizzled with a dangerous energy that really hadn't been present in their fights before. Zoro's lip was split and bleeding, and Sanji was sporting more than a few bruises, darkening quickly on his pale skin. They had never really held back before or anything, but this time they weren't there to spar. Sanji was out for blood, and Zoro couldn't help rising to the challenge.

Something sparked between them, and Sanji stepped in, aiming a heavy strike at Zoro's ribs. Zoro barely blocked it, the joints in his arms protesting against the impact. "What the fuck is your damn problem, curly-brow?" Zoro was beginning to get the feeling that there was something else that Sanji was angry about; not how he'd been pitiful and weak, but something that had obviously bothered Sanji for a while. "Why the hell are you trying to pound my skull in?!" Zoro desperately blocked another ax kick aimed at the crown of his head, and stared into Sanji's enraged blue eye.

"Why?" The blonde finally ground out the words, his face still twisted in an angry snarl, "Why _you_? Why do you piss me off so much? Why can't I just kill you and be done with it? Why is your hair such a shitty green?!"

What. The. Fuck. Zoro stared at his _friend_ in shock. "Have you lost your mind?"

"That goddamn hair! Are you fucking Altered?"

"Hell no!" Now Zoro was getting pissed. What the hell was going on and why did he have to bear the brunt of it?

"You're a freak! I hate you!"

"What the fuck is this really about, target-brow? You let some mad scientist fiddle your brain as well as your curly DNA?" Zoro dodged a hit to his temple by a mere inch.

"I'm sick of this! I'm sick and tired of being stuck with you, and everything is getting worse…" Sanji suddenly stopped kicking and looked at him with a sad, blue eye. "It wasn't supposed to be like this… I was happy."

Zoro blinked. Of course! He'd forgotten about the girlfriend! Had they broken up? "I'm sorry."

"What?"

"Don't worry. You're a nice guy. There's plenty of other girls out there. I can introduce you to some of my coworkers if you want?" He thought about it for a second, "But not Kalifa. She's a bitch."

Sanji laughed bitterly. Zoro thought he was talking about his _love life_? Damn thick-skulled marimo! "Fuck you! Stay out of my business!"

Zoro growled, "Hey, I'm trying to help you here."

"Shut up! I don't need your shitty help!"

Seriously? He was trying to be nice and all Sanji could do was snarl at him? That was it. He needed to give Sanji a good punch or two and get his shitty attitude straightened out." I'm going to kick your ungrateful ass! Maybe I'll do all the women of the city a favor and straighten your weird-ass curly brows while I'm at it."

"Shut up!"

"Make me!"

Sanji leaped at Zoro and clapped a hand firmly over the moss-head's shitty mouth. Zoro reacted right away, wincing in pain at the pressure on his injured mouth, and he bucked hard to get free. However, unwilling to let his prey escape easily, Sanji restricted Zoro's movements with his strong legs and squeezed his free hand around Zoro's windpipe. Both men fell hard to the mat, and a vicious wrestling match ensued. Sanji only let go long enough to get around behind Zoro and put him in a one-armed headlock.

Zoro struggled against Sanji's chokehold, but the blonde held firm, keeping that one hand firmly planted over Zoro's mouth. Growing more pissed by the second, Zoro clutched at the arm around his neck and yanked, trying to free himself. Still Sanji held on, his legs wrapped around Zoro's waist and thighs, keeping him from getting in a better position to escape.

Quieting a little when he began to feel light-headed, Zoro plotted his next attempt while slowly becoming more aware of Sanji behind him. The rapid beat of Sanji's heart, thudded against his spine, and Zoro could feel Sanji's heat seeping into his back. Every detail about his captor was coming into sharp focus, even as Zoro's thoughts about escape were growing muzzy; every jerk of the muscles in those long legs around his midsection, and every shift of the bones in the hand at his throat, all pushed themselves to the front of his mind. Zoro could even smell the warm body odor that was only Sanji's above the overall stench of sweat in the gym. Strange urges began to swirl through his mind. Zoro strained against Sanji's hold again, feeling uncomfortable.

Sanji shifted his grip, and now the blonde's panting breaths directly tickled the shell of Zoro's ear. Zoro shivered in response, and he could feel the brush of soft, blonde hair on the nape of his neck. Somehow this was too much to handle. He needed to get out.

Zoro squirmed, starting to feel really anxious and claustrophobic, but Sanji only leaned closer, clutched tighter, his hand pressing a harder on Zoro's lips. Pain and something else shot through his system, as Sanji's smooth fingers slid slightly against his blood-slicked lips. Zoro shook, as feelings he'd only ever associated with _sex_, lanced white-hot through his nerves. Then Sanji's breath puffed against his sweat-dampened neck, and suddenly the urges were too strong. He had to move. Somehow. Anyhow!

Zoro's mouth parted, and his moist tongue slipped out to tickle one pale palm. Sanji jerked and loosened his hold at the first brush of Zoro's tongue, but before Sanji could get away, Zoro grabbed hold of Sanji's retreating hand. He wanted more.

This time Zoro licked a broad, warm path of blood and saliva up from the heel of the palm to between the ring and little fingers; the tip of his tongue lingering to tease at the sensitive stretch of skin between the digits. He could taste salt and his own blood, but there was also _Sanji_. Zoro let go, and a pale, trembling fingertip brushed briefly at his lips as Sanji hurriedly reclaimed his hand.

Not moving for a few deep breaths in an effort to reclaim a calmer state of mind, Zoro mostly felt heady and dazed. His pulse tripped when he moistened his lips and tasted sweat that wasn't his own. So much for staying cool and helping Sanji with his problems.

A few frantic heartbeats after being released, Sanji scooted back out of arm's reach and stared at Zoro's back, completely shaken. "What the fuck marimo?"

Zoro licked once more at the lingering taste of salt on his lips, before slowly turning to answer with a lazy smirk and a shrug. "You started it, idiot cook."

Sanji yo-yoed between extreme rage, and an unwelcome pull toward Zoro. It was that same damn attraction that Sanji had hoped to beat out of himself and Zoro today. There had been something frighteningly intimate about the way Zoro had licked him.

Sanji shuddered and glanced at the slightly sticky smear of blood on his hand. His brain settled on anger. Anger was safe. Silently, Sanji rose to his feet while anxiously scrubbing his palm on his pants. He glared down into Zoro's dark eyes, trying to think of anything to say that would make sure that this never happened again…

"I-I…" Zoro raised an eyebrow, and Sanji gritted his teeth. "Goddammit. If you fucking lick me again, I will poison you! Got that?"

Somehow Zoro didn't seem very threatened, and he frowned back up at Sanji. "Fine. I won't. Are you going to be a pussy, and not talk about what just happe…"

"Nothing happened!" Sanji was flushed an angry red as he towered over Zoro. "You are a freak, and an asshole! Nothing happened!"

Seeing that Zoro didn't bother to even look slightly repentant, Sanji snarled and stomped out of the gym; let the fucker find his own way home. Zoro watched Sanji vanish, then let himself fall back to lie flat on the training mat, arms outspread. He listened to the rapid footfalls as they disappeared down the hall. No doubt Sanji was planning on leaving him without a ride. Silence crawled into the room, and Zoro's thoughts began to race. What did he feel toward Sanji? He had been so sure that it was friendship, but… Curiously he poked out his tongue once more and shivered when he still tasted Sanji's sweat on his mouth. A deep blush settled on his features as he remembered that lean body wrapped around his. He had to talk to Usopp about this. Surely his only friend with a successful romantic relationship could help. Usopp could help him identify these feelings, and then he could work everything out with the cook.

However, would Sanji even come near him again after this?


	15. Chapter 15

15.

* * *

"Usopp, I need to talk to you about Sanji."

"Oh good! You noticed it too? I wasn't sure how to…"

"What?"

Usopp swallowed nervously, "Er, you go first."

Fixing Usopp with an intent black gaze, Zoro shifted closer to the edge of his seat. "How did you know that you loved Kaya?"

His round eyes were practically bugged out of his head as Usopp stared at his friend. "Z-Zoro…?" Zoro stared silently back until Usopp felt the need to squirm. "Um… I guess when I realized that I wasn't really happy unless she was by my side? Are you saying that you might… care for Sanji?"

In an uncharacteristic gesture of defeat, Zoro clasped his head in his hands, resting his elbows on his knees. "I don't know. I want to be near him, and I miss him when he's not here. I feel safe telling him everything, and I want to know everything about him too. He's smart, strong and gives everything he has to do the right thing. I admire him… and I want to touch him, and have him to myself." Zoro sighed and seemed to sink further into himself, "But he just broke up with his girlfriend. I don't want to mess up and drive him away; not when he's hurting."

Usopp shifted awkwardly, "Oh… That does sound like... love to me."

"You believe so? I guess I have to think about that then..." Zoro glanced up at him, "What were you going to say earlier? About Sanji, I mean."

"Don'tbemadatmeokay?" Zoro frowned, and Usopp took a steadying breath, "Zoro, I don't think there ever was a girlfriend."

"What?!"

"Think about it! What would I be doing the day after I had a fight with Kaya? Even a small one?"

Zoro sat up and gave him a look, "You'd be sobbing on the phone, leaving her messages every ten minutes about how you're dying of my-girlfriend-won't-forgive-me-and-now-I'll-be-alo ne-forever disease?"

Usopp cleared his throat and blushed, completely embarrassed. "You heard that, huh?" Zoro only raised an eyebrow, "Okay, so have you noticed Sanji calling his girlfriend even once? Has he talked about her at all?"

"N-no…" Zoro's frown grew dark and he sat up straighter, "What are you saying Usopp?"

"He lied to us, Zoro." Usopp watched as Zoro grew visibly upset. If Zoro didn't like that, he definitely would not like what Usopp had to say next. "You know how he only asked to live with us after he learned about our jobs?" Zoro nodded, "And he asked us first, even though he probably has other friends, and he didn't really know us too well?" Another nod. Usopp clenched his fists and leaned forward excitedly. "I think he's in some kind of trouble."

"Trouble?"

"Yeah! He's being threatened by someone and he's living with us for protection!"

"Why wouldn't he just tell us that?"

"Because he was afraid we wouldn't help him! He didn't know us after all."

Zoro wasn't sure he bought this theory, but parts of it made sense. "Do you think we should ask him?"

"That's probably not a good idea." Usopp was starting to feel very clever, having Zoro hang on his every word. "He'll certainly run if we confront him. Maybe we should investigate his bar? Maybe the guys who are threatening him are loansharks or something, and they want to steal his business!"

"Maybe…" Zoro's fingers tapped on his knees, rhythmically. If Sanji was being threatened, Zoro wanted to help. However, he didn't know for sure what was going on right now. Usopp's observations had left him confused and concerned. Had Sanji really been lying to him this entire time? Why? Didn't Sanji trust him?

It seemed investigating the bar was as good a place as any to start finding out the truth. Zoro made up his mind quickly. "We'll swing by the Baratie tonight after we go on shift."

-/-/-/-/-/-

"Usopp. You stake out the door. Make a note of everyone who goes in or out, and get images if you can. Brook, I want you to go inside and visit with Franky if he's there. Try to find out if he knows anything about any people who might have an issue with Sanji. I'll go around back and watch the rear door." Zoro fastened his teammates with a fierce grin, "This is a top secret mission. Hold all radio chatter unless in emergency situations, and keep your instincts sharp." They had only a few hours before they had to check in with the station. Zoro wanted to make them count. If his cook was in trouble, he would find out tonight.

Zoro slunk through the alley beside the bar, carefully checking around the corner when he reached the rear exit. Sanji was nowhere to be seen, and the length of the entire alley seemed utterly dark and empty. Zoro took the opportunity to position himself behind a pile of boxes where he couldn't be easily spotted, but he could still observe the door. He had just gotten himself settled, when the hairs prickling on the back of his neck let him know he might not be as alone as he had first thought. Slowly, keeping a hand on his swords, Zoro turned his head to peer deeper into the shadows. A dark figure sat huddled further into a corner behind the boxes, not more than an arm's length away. Zoro had to stifle a shout of surprise as he scrambled backwards from the silent stranger.

Breathing hard and fast, Zoro had two of his swords out in a millisecond. Trying to control the startled trembling of his hands, Zoro kept his weapons pointed at the shadowed figure while his brain struggled to form words.

"Are you here for meat too?" The stranger suddenly spoke, and Zoro shook his head in a daze. Why was someone sneaking around suspiciously talking to him about meat? "Shishishishi, that's good! More for me!"

Zoro relaxed ever so slightly as the man in the shadows chuckled and appeared to pick his nose, but Zoro still didn't know if this person was a threat. He couldn't let his guard down just yet. "What are you doing here?"

He couldn't see any facial expressions in the deep shadows, but Zoro could easily imagine an incredulous look from the tone of the stranger's voice, "If I go in the front, Sanji will kick me and tell me there's no meat!"

"So you know Sanji?"

"Yeah! His food is awesome! He hides the meat in the back and forgets where it is though, so I have to sneak in and help him find it!"

Zoro sheathed his weapons and relaxed, "Is that so?" This guy was an idiot, and most likely one of the harmless homeless guys that Sanji insisted on feeding illegally.

"Yeah!" The probably-homeless man shifted and leaned closer toward Zoro, "Shishishishi! You're interesting! So you really do have green hair!"

"What?"

"Sanji told me you have green hair!"

"He talks about me?"

A barely visible nod answered his question, "He says a lot of things. He told me you were green, stupid, smelly…" Zoro ground his teeth as the speaker counted on his fingers, "…And he said he felt he was getting real close to you."

Zoro's anger was instantly washed away by surprise and a warm feeling blooming in his chest. "He said he felt… close to me?"

Another nod in the darkness, "He did! He said he needed to get closer too!"

Zoro swallowed thickly. Was it possible that Sanji might actually feel attracted to him too? "H-he did?"

"Yep! But then he kicked me out."

"Oh."

The bum shuffled a little closer, and Zoro could barely see the shine of dark eyes under the brim a what appeared to be a hat. "Do you have a dream?"

Zoro found himself dumbfounded once more, "What?"

"I have a great dream. Do you have one too?"

"I-I…" Did he have a dream? In the Institution, Zoro had worked hard, dreaming about being the world's greatest enforcer, but in the end… "Not any more."

With his head cocked to the side, the bum regarded Zoro carefully. "If you had a dream once it's still there. You just have to remember it."

Zoro growled, "What do you know?" His dream had faded with the reality of working within the constrains of the government. Even if he met that man again, he wouldn't be able to challenge him.

"Sanji said you were strong. I believe Sanji. If you're strong, then you have a dream." Those glittering eyes seemed to see perfectly in the darkness; even into the shadows in Zoro's heart. "No one becomes strong without a dream."

"I-I had wanted to be an enforcer…"

Another searching look, "That's not it. That's not your dream. Can't you remember?" Zoro was silent, his brow furrowed in distress. The faint echoes of a deep desire tormenting him as he tried to puzzle through he cluttered memories.

"Don't worry. You'll remember." The bum stood and looked down on him with knowing eyes. "When you do, come and find me. Together we'll be the very strongest!"

Zoro watched as the strange homeless man trotted off down the alley, and faded completely into the night. Zoro swore he could still hear that weird laugh. Sanji sure knew some odd people.

Zoro repositioned himself, and resumed his watch over the Baratie's back door. However he couldn't keep the unusual conversation he'd just had off his mind. What exactly was the dream he'd forgotten, and why did he forget it in the first place?

Did Sanji really want to have a closer relationship with him?


	16. Chapter 16

16.

* * *

Sanji was on the verge of losing his fucking mind; he truly was. Ever since that day in the gym where Zoro had just gotten too _close_ for comfort, Sanji had been trying his best to insure he was never alone with the marimo… except for at night when he had to sleep in Zoro's room, and during the day when he cooked and Zoro simply stood in the kitchen and _stared_… and apparently tonight; because they all had some time off and Usopp had left Sanji with his shitty stalker. Yes, Zoro was a fucking stalker. For two shitty days the goddamn moss-head had followed Sanji _everywhere_. Zoro was probably trying to be discreet about it, but it got pretty obvious, when Sanji spotted him walking by the bar window in his fucking enforcer uniform _three_ times in one hour!

He was fed up, and paranoid. Had Zoro somehow found out about the other strawhats? Was he shadowing Sanji hoping to catch his friends? The gang had been stressed too. They'd had to reroute a little girl who had been modified to translate animals, back over the river and into the no-man's land of Prior Camden. Good thing they hadn't run into any powerful rival gangs, but Sanji still shuddered to think of a sweet little girl having to crawl through that war zone. The worst part was Sanji hadn't been able to help any of his friends with this. He'd been forced to sit here on his ass and pretend that he didn't have any companions running around, risking their lives in the night. What if his sweet Nami or Robin got injured? What if Luffy did something monumentally stupid and got captured again? Sanji hoped that the rubber idiot had been staying away from heart gang territory. They were the other gang that ran illegal goods through Old Philadelphia; however, where the strawhats were trying to give Altered and Altered rights supporters a second chance, the heart gang were smuggling body parts and contraband weapons to the gangs opposing the government in Prior Camden.

Sanji glared at Zoro, sitting like the giant lump of green mold that he was, on the other end of the couch. He was trapped here with a crazy, stalker marimo while his gang, his family, were going back over the river tonight. He needed to end this unwanted relationship; he needed to kill the feelings that had been making hesitate. Fear, sympathy, wanting… all those things were only holding him back. Zoro was holding him back; tying him down with his fucking smile, his sad past, and the shitty way he made Sanji miss him when he wasn't around.

How else would he have noticed Zoro following him from the shadows, if he hadn't been searching for glimpses of green hair every waking moment since Zoro's tongue had branded a path on his skin? Why would he be searching, if he hadn't fantasized about that hot mouth on other parts of his body? Why would he be fantasizing about the man _he was supposed to be betraying for information_, unless he was going out of his fucking mind?

So Sanji was insane. He was attracted to his own stalker, and he only saw two solutions; fuck the marimo and get this out of his system, or get the hell out of here and call it quits. The worst part was, Sanji knew he couldn't let his friends down by running away. Luffy hadn't said as much, but Sanji knew that their leader had a personal interest in the government shipment they were going to rob. The lab that the 'cargo' was coming from was the same one where his big brother had been reportedly sent several years ago.

Sanji eyed Zoro's muscled body as the marimo sprawled and relaxed, his attention currently on the TV. Maybe there was another way? Maybe he could just drug the fucker and look through his shit one more time…

-/-/-/-/-/-

Zoro had never been so nervous in his entire life. Sanji kept staring over at him, and Zoro just couldn't make out what the blonde was thinking. Was Sanji happy spending time with him? He hadn't said much so far tonight. Was he angry? They had told him that all three of them would be having a movie night, but Usopp had pretended to back out and went out on his date with Kaya. Zoro really owed that longnose one. Who knew the guy had one good lie in him?

Zoro snuck a glance over to where Sanji sat in moody silence on his end of the couch. The flickering light of the television washed out the color of his hair and made his skin look an unnatural, tinted blue... but his eyes-the artificial light was caught and sucked into that brilliant blue. Zoro even imagined he could see that other eye, gleaming from its hiding place behind the blonde fringe.

Sanji suddenly met his gaze and frowned. Shit! Zoro had to stop staring!

He quickly forced his attention back to the TV and tried to remember Usopp's advice. He had shadowed Sanji for the last couple of days, but he really hadn't found out anything new about the blonde. He didn't seem to have many friends aside from the customers at the bar; he didn't go to other restaurants or seem to prefer one food over another; and he didn't seem to have any hobbies other than illegally feeding homeless people. Zoro was at a loss. How was he supposed to ask Sanji out on a date if he couldn't figure out anything that the cook would like? There was also the matter of 'the lie'. Zoro didn't know what to believe. Had Sanji broken up with a girl that maybe he hadn't really been terribly in love with? Or had Sanji lied to cover up a threat to his own life? Zoro hadn't seen any women or threatening criminals approach Sanji in an intimate way the entire time he'd been following him. Maybe none of those things were true?

It just got more confusing the more he tried to figure things out, but he knew one thing for sure; his feelings wouldn't change no matter Sanji's past, or his present. Zoro wanted to be with him, and he wouldn't waste this opportunity to get closer to him tonight. So right now, he wouldn't worry about the 'what ifs'.

"Why the fuck do you keep staring at me?" Zoro started and flushed guiltily. His gaze had strayed back to Sanji's profile against his will. That single, bright, blue eye glared out at him, as the TV cast shadows against Sanji's features. "If you have something to say, just say it already!"

"Uh…"

Well that was a wonderful way to start his first meaningful romantic relationship. The blonde was looking visibly irritated. Zoro began to sweat; Sanji was getting upset, and it was all his fault. He had to pull it together! Zoro bit his lip and nervously wracked his brain for _anything_ that could convey how Sanji made him feel.

"Here, let me start. Why the hell have you been tailing me?" Zoro's eyes went wide and his face briefly paled. "Did you really think that I wouldn't notice? The lawn growing on your head stands out from all the concrete around here, stupid marimo."

Sanji's scowl deepened when a weird, dopey smile suddenly spread across Zoro's face. Was Zoro becoming bi-polar? The moron had worn more expressions in the last minute than Sanji had seen from him in a month! "What is that look for?"

"You've been calling me marimo."

"So?"

Zoro shrugged. He could he explain how much it meant for Sanji to call him by the same name that Kuina had? He couldn't just blurt out 'because it makes me love you more'.

"It's weird."

"You're weird… and green." Sanji frowned, not feeling satisfied with Zoro's explanation, "Now answer my question, shitty stalker!"

"I'm not stalking!" Zoro yelped out the words, anxious not be misunderstood, "I wanted to make sure you were… okay."

"What?"

"Usopp thought that you might be in trouble? He thought that someone was threatening you."

That actually explained a lot. Sanji felt relieved. His cover wasn't blown yet; his new roommates were just idiots. "I'm fine, marimo. I'd tell you if I was in trouble."

"Really?" Zoro scooted a little closer, his black eyes intense and hopeful.

"Y-yeah. Who else would I call?" It wasn't like he made a habit of making friends with enforcers. He was a career criminal after all.

Zoro's wide smile both startled him, and made his traitorous heart beat faster. Zoro reached out and grabbed his arm, pulling him close before Sanji thought to resist. "I'm glad." Sanji shivered against Zoro's chest as he directly felt the rumble of that deep voice. "I'd be pissed if you kept something like that from me."

It felt like ice-water had been dumped directly into his veins. "If you found out I'd lied… would you have hated me?" Sanji's voice was quiet and nervous. The thought that Zoro might actually hate him... it felt worse than Sanji would have thought.

Sanji knew he was walking a very thin and dangerous line between keeping his secret, and exposing his mission as Zoro pulled back a little to inspect him with those deep, black eyes. Still he had to know. Would Zoro ever forgive him for this?

"I'd never hate you."

So bluntly and simply said… Sanji looked into Zoro's earnest expression and truly hated himself in that moment. He should have just gone with slipping drugs into the beer. "You don't know. I could be a…"

A warm calloused hand covered his lips as Zoro smiled at him. "It wouldn't matter. I _love_ you, Sanji."

Shit. That was it then, wasn't it? Sanji stared him, completely stunned for moment; the sound of those horrible, glorious words echoing in his brain. He wanted to scream, cry and do a victory dance all at the same time, but Sanji settled for pulling Zoro down by the collar and kissing him soundly.


	17. Chapter 17

_Pure, unadulterated smut. You have been warned._

17.

* * *

After that first, eager kiss, Zoro returned the gesture with warm, gentle lips, and they sat with their limbs tangled, trading soft kisses; unaware and unconcerned with the time. Sanji felt Zoro's slick tongue prod against his lips and he pulled back, panting lightly.

"Sorry." Zoro's expression was apologetic, and he began to pull away.

"No! No, no, it's fine!" Cheeks flushed, Sanji grabbed Zoro by the shoulders and hugged him close, "It's okay to do more. I was just…" His words trailed off as his confidence faded. Was this really okay? By doing this, would he end up hurting Zoro?

Zoro tried to catch Sanji's eye as he pulled back and looked away. When Sanji wouldn't return his gaze, Zoro reached out and grasped his chin, gently tugging Sanji up to face him again. With his free hand, Zoro reverently brushed back the silken blonde bangs. For the first time, both blue eyes stared back at him; wide and shining with emotions. "It's no problem. Don't worry so much, dumbass. We'll just take this…" Zoro punctuated his promise with a loving kiss to the curl of Sanji's eyebrow, "…nice and slow. Okay?"

Sanji sighed with relief and melted into the feeling of Zoro's firm, rough hands on his face, juxtaposed with malleable lips. He was still nervous; his conscience uncertain that allowing this might really be incredibly _bad_. However, his heart didn't care about sides or wars; right now his heart was full of Zoro, and the warmth of the feelings he could see in those black eyes. Almost shy, Sanji lifted his hands to return the caress; his fingers exploring the planes of Zoro's cheekbones and nose, and his thumb stroking Zoro's bottom lip.

"I-I don't want to lose this…" Sanji finally admitted the truth behind his anxieties.

Zoro's lips moved to place a light kiss on the pad of Sanji's thumb. "I'm not going anywhere."

Sanji smiled brightly, responding to the reassurance. Those words freeing him into finally feeling _right_ about everything. He slid a hand into the short hairs at the back of Zoro's head and pulled the marimo into a deeper kiss. Their tongues slid against each other, hot and wet, slowly building the pace. Sanji let out a muted noise of pleasure as Zoro thrust his tongue in deeper to stroke against the ridges of Sanji's palate. Responding to Sanji's moan, Zoro slid his hands from Sanji's face, down the smooth column of his pale throat, and back over angular shoulder blades. Dragging out the edge of Sanji's shirt from his pants, Zoro let one hand come to rest on the skin at the small of Sanji's back, and the other wrapped possessively around Sanji's narrow hip.

Sanji pulled back from the kiss. His breathing had quickened, and his blush had deepened, spreading across his light skin to tint his ears and his neck. Zoro's own heartbeat rose when Sanji's eyes fastened on him, pupils blow so large from lust, that the blonde's blue irises had the appearance of twin solar eclipses. In that moment, Sanji was absolutely breathtaking, and Zoro only wanted to see more.

Moving carefully, keeping his eyes on Sanji's expressions, Zoro slid his hand from around Sanji's hip to the pale skin of his stomach. Stroking down, Zoro teased Sanji's navel with his ring and little fingers, while his thumb stroked small circles just below the hem of the blonde's pants. Gasping, Sanji clutched at the back of Zoro's neck and eagerly jerked his hips into Zoro's warm touch. Suddenly, more contact down there seemed like the best idea ever.

"Just hands-okay?"

Sanji agreed with a nod, and held back a whimper of want as Zoro briefly stopped the exploration of both his hands to undo the blonde's fly and slip a hand inside. Unable to fully stifle a cry of pleasure, Sanji arched his waist into Zoro's palm; seeking out more friction. Zoro leaned forward to drop kisses on Sanji's lips, eyelids, nose, and anywhere he could reach, as he firmly stroked Sanji's cock; mapping out the shape and heat of it through the fabric of Sanji's boxer briefs.

Sanji had never felt so aroused, or so cared for, during sexual activities before. His world narrowed its focus to hold only Zoro; the smell of him, the taste and feel of his lips and his hand down Sanji's pants. Sanji tugged at green hair, urging Zoro nearer. Responding willingly, Zoro pressed closer, and tripped the fingers of his free hand along the ridges of Sanji's spine. Sanji moaned as Zoro sucked lightly at the skin just beyond the edge of Sanji's jaw. Zoro was a quick study; he attentively caressed Sanji's sensitive places, and Sanji couldn't help but begin to writhe and buck with the sensations building under his skin.

Zoro pulled back slightly to watch Sanji's face once more, as he removed his hand from Sanji's erection, only to slip it back down into Sanji's boxers to touch the hot, smooth skin there directly. "Zo-! Zoroo!"

Pleased, Zoro nuzzled Sanji's temple as the blonde curled forward and panted heavily into his shoulder. Sanji groaned, and his hips twitched uncontrollably when Zoro briefly tangled his fingers in dark-blonde pubic hair before firmly grasping Sanji's cock firmly by the base. Zoro quickly became comfortable with the angle he needed, and soon got into a smooth, steady rhythm, pumping Sanji's weeping cock. Sanji began to thrust into the movements of his hand, and Zoro picked up his pace; tightening his grip and flicking his thumb through the pre-cum at the head of Sanji's cock at the end of the motion. The feeling of Zoro's callouses against his sensitive slit was his undoing, and Sanji came without warning into Zoro's hand. Zoro loosened his hold, but continued to stroke Sanji through his orgasm, while possessively sucking a small hickey at the base of Sanji's throat.

Sanji collapsed forward into his chest, and Zoro wrapped his arms around the blonde's back. After a few moments, Sanji's breathing evened out a little. "I got some on your clothes."

"Yeah." Zoro chuckled. He would never have thought he'd be so pleased to have cum dirtying his favorite sweats.

Sanji leaned back and tugged at Zoro's waistband. "Take it off."

Zoro's breath hitched in his chest at the lust reappearing in Sanji's eyes. Pulling away, and scooting further to the edge of the couch, Zoro was very aware of Sanji's gaze as he impatiently tugged off his pants. The bulge in his boxers left no doubts about his opinion of Sanji's close observation.

"Come back here." Sanji's voice was rough and demanding. Watching Zoro strip out of his pants had as much an effect on him as it did the marimo.

Turning back to face the blonde, Zoro wasn't fully prepared when Sanji tackled him bodily and held him down with his upper back pressed somewhat awkwardly against the arm of the couch. He didn't complain though. Sanji never gave him the chance. Zoro's lips were captured in a sloppy kiss, as Sanji palmed at his balls. Zoro twisted his body to get better contact, and moaned as Sanji stroked up along the length of his erection; paying special attention to the damp patch on the fabric where pre-cum had leaked onto the soft cotton.

"San…ji!" Zoro panted out his name like a plea, and Sanji smiled against Zoro's already kiss-swollen lips. Moaning louder, Zoro bucked his hips as Sanji trailed his hand along Zoro's inner thigh, before slipping it up the leg of the marimo's boxers. Shifting himself more onto his knees, Sanji moved his other arm from where it had been braced near Zoro's shoulder, and used it to hold Zoro's waist in place.

"Let me do the work here, marimo."

Zoro felt an intense spike of arousal as Sanji called his nickname, and his blush deepened on his tan skin. He clutched at Sanji's shoulders and fixed his burning, black eyes on Sanji's blue. Sanji refused to look away; not even wanting to blink. Having Zoro like this-trembling beneath him-felt unbelievably empowering. Sanji squeezed Zoro's cock, enjoying the resulting curve of his spine as Zoro arched in bliss. "Sanjiiii…!" One more stroke, and Zoro came in his boxers with a final breathy moan.

Sanji sat back and allowed Zoro some space as he came down from his sex high. "Sanji." Responding automatically to his name, Sanji glanced back down into those dark eyes. Zoro looked relaxed and content, and Sanji returned his warm smile. "Will you stay here with me?"

Sanji paused for a moment. Was Zoro asking about this point in time… or was he asking about… commitment? Sanji decided that thinking was too hard when he felt so good. He lowered himself down sideways next to Zoro on the couch, only to have the marimo aggressively pull him halfway onto his chest. Sanji just went with it, and snuggled further into the warmth of Zoro's body heat; slipping a leg between the marimo's thighs and wrapping an arm around Zoro's ribs.

It didn't take them long to fall asleep. The television remained on, entirely forgotten. Blue tinted light flickered softly over their entwined forms, and peace settled over the apartment.

* * *

_I did warn you, didn't I?_


	18. Chapter 18

18.

* * *

A horrified shriek made Sanji jerk unpleasantly awake. "You guys did it ON OUR COUCH?!" Sanji peeked over the back-cushion to see Usopp staring at them and whimpering pitifully. "I used to enjoy naps in that spot…"

Flushing red with embarrassment, Sanji tried to untangle himself from Zoro's hold, but strong arms tightened their embrace, trapping him against Zoro's chest.

"I can't let my sweet Kaya sit where you guys did _it_. What will I do when she visits? How could you do this to meeeee?!"

Zoro growled and mumbled beneath Sanji at the continued noise. Sanji buried his red face in Zoro's shoulder wishing heartily to just disappear. He couldn't believe that he had gotten caught _cuddling_ with _Zoro_!

Zoro's forehead scrunched into a frown as Usopp continued to whine. Finally the marimo had heard enough, "Since you're still standing there, you obviously want to hear exactly what Sanji and I did last night… We started with some making out, and I nearly blew my load early when Sanji did that thing with his tongue… You know, Sanji makes some great noises if you stroke his…"

"I CAN'T HEAR YOU! LALALALALALA!" Before Zoro could go into any more detail, Usopp fled into his room with his hands over his ears.

"'Bout time…" Zoro groused and soothingly rubbed Sanji's back, "You okay? I didn't think he'd be home so early."

"You're an ass. Poor Usopp; I'll have to cook him something nice."

"That's just what he gets for interrupting us. Shitty longnose doesn't deserve any special treatment."

Feeling better now that he wasn't being gawped at; Sanji grinned and shifted to nuzzle into Zoro's neck. The marimo still smelled of sweat and sex. Sanji breathed deeply and began to press lazy kisses to the side of the marimo's neck. "You're jeaaaaalous…!"

"Mmmm, fuck you. Get off. I need to piss."

"And here I thought you weren't romantic!" Sanji chuckled as he stood and stretched the stiffness from his limbs.

Zoro pecked him on the cheek before shuffling off to the bathroom. Sanji yawned hugely and wandered into _their_ bedroom. That was a ridiculously sappy thought, bordering on _girly_, and he needed to get rid it NOW. Still, it made him weirdly happy to see his things and Zoro's things sharing a space. Stripping out of his soiled clothes, Sanji pulled on one of Zoro's ugly tee-shirts and a pair of the moss-head's uglier sweatpants-pulling the drawstrings tight around his narrow hips. He refused to run around in the buff while he waited for the shower to be free.

On impulse, he strolled over and poked through the items littered on top of Zoro's desk. He was surprised to spot his name on a handwritten page from a notepad. Sitting down, Sanji began to read. Apparently Zoro had been seriously trying to find the 'bad guys' that Usopp had thought were threatening their new roommate. The page detailed their search methods. It was creepy and adorable. Sanji smiled and leaned his arm on the desk. "Silly marimo." It was sweet that Zoro had worried; although he should have just come and asked Sanji in the first place. It would have saved the marimo a lot of trouble. Such an idiot.

Sanji's elbow knocked into something and the computer screen blinked to life, drawing his eye. Sanji blinked at the password prompt. Mindlessly, his fingers drifted to the keyboard and he typed out: _Marimo_.

_Password Accepted_. Sanji eagerly scooted closer to the screen as little files popped into view. He clicked on one titled _new assignments_. His heart was beating far too rapidly and he felt dizzy; this was what he had waited for!

Hungrily he skimmed through document after document; nothing he recognized caught his eye until… _Sanden Escort Detail-relocation of suspect to location fox twelve_… Oh god they had Kohza! Sanji anxiously read the rest of the document and took note of the date of the relocation. He was supposed to be moved tonight. He had to tell the others!

He looked through the rest of the files, desperate to find out more about 'location fox twelve', just in case something went wrong. He couldn't find it anywhere. What he DID find made his heart skip a beat.

_Station priority number one. Full enforcer escort required for transport of sensitive government property. Transport originating from Marie and Joa Labs: Destination Fort Dix, New Jersey. High risk_…

Oh god.

He had _found_ it! A quick reading of the mission file revealed everything; from the number of enforcers, to the areas each unit-including Zoro's-would be assigned… and the transport was in two days.

Sanji heard the water turn off in the shower, and he scrambled for his phone and took a picture of the file on the screen. Shutting the file and logging off the computer, Sanji tried to arrange the desk as if it hadn't been touched; the entire time his heart was pounding fast behind his ribs like a frightened animal's. He couldn't be found out-not now! He had to get back to his friends. He had to tell them about Kohza… His time was up.

Sanji froze in what he was doing. He was done here, wasn't he? He had to go and be with his _real_ friends again. All of _this_ wasn't real; last night had just been another part of his lie… He had no feelings for Zoro; he'd just been playing his role…

_So why did it feel like he'd just stabbed himself in the chest?_

-/-/-/-/-/-

Zoro emerged from the shower with only a towel slung low around his waist. Humming as he scrubbed the moisture from his green hair with a smaller towel, Zoro strolled casually into his room. Sanji was standing in the middle of the floor. "Hey, the bathroom is open if you want to…" Sanji fled past him without even so much as looking him in the eye, "…use it. Goddammit, what now?"

What had he done this time? Was Sanji upset about last night? He'd seemed willing… Zoro felt arousal stir in his blood as he remembered how _his_ Sanji had looked in his arms. Sanji had been _willing_; so what was the problem today?

He never got the chance to find out.

Zoro flipped through the morning programs on the TV while Sanji showered and dressed. Finally Sanji emerged-but instead of getting a chance to ask the blonde what was wrong-he could only stare, open-mouthed as Sanji _ran_ out of the apartment. Zoro's jaw snapped shut. Shit. That couldn't be good.

Usopp crept cautiously from his room. "Isn't Sanji making breakfast?"

Zoro frowned and nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "Usopp... did I move too fast? He seemed okay with it..."

"Didn't he say anything?"

"Nothing."

"That's really, really bad..."

Zoro sighed. That was what he was afraid of... Should he buy flowers? That was how boyfriends apologized, right?

-/-/-/-/-/-

"We have to rescue Kohza right away!"

"I want to see Mr. Sanden safe and sound as well, but security surrounding the transport might change if they suspect that we have another source of inside information. We might not get another chance like this, and Mr. Cook might not be able to get us any new details about the security plans."

"Robin you are so smart! It only enhances your beauty and my love for you!"

Nami tapped her chin with her finger as she watched Sanji fawn over Robin. "Sanji, are you able to stay near your enforcer 'friend' for one more day? Luffy and Robin should be enough to break out Kohza. You can warn us if there are any changes to the security force, and I'll stay low so we have a contingency plan."

"Nami! Your brilliance lights my dark days in this shitty city! I'll do anything to prove my love!"

Sanji was doing his best to smile and worship his beautiful angels like they deserved, but his heart felt cold and heavy.

"Sanji! Why didn't you bring Zoro?"

"Why the hell would I bring him?"

"He was supposed to be hereeeee! We made a promise!"

"WHAT?!" Sanji grabbed Luffy's shirt and shook him like a cocktail, "WHAT SHITTY PROMISE?"

"I told him to come when he remembered his dream!"

"Luffy…" Nami's voice was even, and very, very angry. "How can you say that you made a promise with 'Zoro'? You've never met him. Right?"

"Shishishishishishi! I met him in the alley behind the kitchen! He was trying to sneak food too!" Luffy turned shining eyes back to Sanji, "He really does have green hair! He has to join us!"

Sanji kicked with all his might; not giving one shit about the hole in his wall. "WAB WASSAT BORRRR?!"

"YOU IDIOT!" Nami's shriek reached a glass-shattering pitch, "DON'T MAKE FRIENDS WITH THE ENEMY!"

Robin chuckled darkly, "Well it seems that Mr. Enforcer didn't know who he was talking to or else we'd all be in prison."

Sanji slumped to his chair. Zoro had met Luffy? Damn it. They were both idiots.

Nami's words haunted him as the gang huddled together once more to make their plans. Don't really make friends with the enemy. It's all supposed to be an act.

Zoro was the _enemy_...

And Sanji had already gone far beyond 'friends'.


	19. Chapter 19

19.

* * *

Inspector Smoker stomped through the halls of the station, growling at anyone who dared to meet his furious gaze. This was the fucking final straw! After all that had been happening the last few days, his valuable prisoner - his only current lead to finding the strawhats - had vanished from his cell last night. Actually the word vanish wasn't very appropriate for what had happened, because there was a _fucking hole the size of a BUS in the damn wall_! He had men injured; reports of a violent, laughing, rubber maniac piled high on his desk; and now he was being told there was an _information leak_ in his own department! A fucking spy! In HIS station! Smoker really needed to kill someone; preferably the shit-underling bastard who had dared to double-cross them and put his fellow force members in danger.

And that goddamn transport mission…

He had expected that the transport would have been delayed, or at the very least that he would be given more backup from New Philadephia; none of these things had happened. Any delay would put the project behind schedule; assembling more force members would raise the expense of the transport; all of these fucking excuses were all anyone had to offer him. The shitty higher-ups had dared to sit there and flat out _say_ that meeting the deadline for their shitty little experiment was more important than the lives of Smoker's men, and that Smoker should be a good little weapon and let his handlers do all the thinking…

"GODFUCKINGDAMMIT!" Smoker glared at the hole he'd just punched in the drywall of the hallway. There _had_ to be something he could do!

A quick glance around showed that spying bitch, Kalifa, still wasn't around. She must be stuck in a meeting telling those bastards from the Continued Observation and Preemptive Sedation Program about how many times a day Smoker scratched his ass and how that reflected a potentially dangerous mental state. It wasn't any secret that his COP-SP supervisor hated him, and would say anything to get his ass deported back into a lab with some punk scientist poking around in his brain. No doubt she was late coming back because COP-SP was processing that stack of false sexual harassment claims that she had been trying to pin on him for ages. Evil bitch. It was a damn good thing he was one of the best at this shitty job, or else she'd pose a real problem.

And because he was good at his job Smoker marched off to take advantage of Kalifa's continued absence. That old hag at the desk, Kokoro, would vouch for him. Fortunately the elderly dispatcher had taken a liking to him-it gave him the creeps, but if she could keep the government off his back…? He might buy her a shitty flower, or booze, or _something_ as thanks.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Zoro let his mind wander as he lifted weights at the gym. He was purposefully NOT thinking about Sanji's apparent change of heart; the blonde had been completely avoiding him since they had woken up in each other's arms yesterday _with no fucking explanation why_! Zoro was at his wits end trying to figure out how he could make this better. Obviously Sanji was interested in him, but maybe it had been too soon for anything sexual. Usopp had wisely said that Sanji would try to kill him if he bought flowers to try to apologize. Sanji was a man, and Usopp had pointed out that girly shit would only piss the blonde off even more. It made his head hurt, trying to think of ways to tell Sanji he was sorry for pushing him into sex when he wasn't ready, while protecting the moody bastard's 'manliness'. Hopefully when the time came, he could just open his mouth and magically something brilliant would fall out.

So instead of letting Sanji-related thoughts fuck up his reps, Zoro chose to focus on the rest of his crazy life. Like his asshole of a boss, and all the weird shit that had been going on with the gangs. In fact lot of strange things had been happening around him recently, but that chat with a homeless man in the alley behind Sanji's bar made the top of the list.

_"Do you have a dream?"_

Who asked a complete stranger something like that anyway? Still, the conversation had stayed in his mind, and now Zoro was stuck thinking it over carefully. He had always expected to be an enforcer when he grew up. It was what he had been trained to do, and he had worked hard to get into one of the toughest stations in the heart of gang conflict. So why did having a bum question all of his hard work leave him feeling unsettled and unsatisfied about his accomplishments?

If he stayed where he was, no doubt he would continue to excel. He would be recognized as one of the greatest enforcers. One day maybe he'd even get a chance to pay back the gangster who had given him the scar on his chest when he was just a rookie… Wasn't that enough?

Zoro switched to a heavier set and grunted as he lifted the increased weight. He wasn't satisfied. He didn't want to be recognized within the force as a 'good man'; he didn't want medals for each dangerous mission he completed, or a raise every time he pleased his fucking superiors.

He wanted greatness.

The kind of fame that would put his name on the lips of every person on the planet; that was what he craved. He wanted recognition for his strength and his skill - not for how well he filled out his forms and brought in a few bad guys. That was his dream.

The weights dropped to the gym floor with a massive thud as Zoro stared wide-eyed into space. How could he have forgotten? Before Kuina had died, he had made a her a promise; that he would be known from the highest point of heaven to the deepest pit of the ocean as the greatest swordsman that the world had ever seen… and that then he would come back and defeat her once and for all.

That had been his dream; to be the greatest, and to surpass his childhood friend.

Zoro clenched his fists as renewed excitement burned in his veins. It felt like now he had found the last missing piece of his soul. He had Sanji, and now he had his dream.

However there were still a few problems. Being a member of the force would hold him back; he had to go where he was told to go and fight when he was told to fight. There was no way he'd ever be the best with someone else calling the shots…

What should he do?

Could he really leave behind his entire life? His career? His friends? All for a crazy dream?

And what about Sanji? It had been almost an entire day since the blonde had spoken to him. Would Sanji still want to be with him if he decided to quit the force and chase his dream?

Tendrils of fear wrapped around his heart and squeezed.

What if Sanji left him?

-/-/-/-/-/-

Zoro stepped out of the aero-taxi and walked slowly to the apartment, deep in thought. Maybe they could make this work… he could use Sanji's bar as a home base and travel around to different fights from there! But Sanji would have to agree to cohabitant with him… Zoro sighed and jammed his fingers through his spiky green hair in frustration. Really before he worried about the future he'd be better off thinking about how to fix his present problems.

Zoro stepped into the apartment and was accosted by the smell of cooking. Eagerly he peeked around the corner and saw to his utter delight that Sanji was back in his kitchen, and that had to mean he was in a better mood. Sanji tensed slightly when he became aware of Zoro's presence."What do you want, marimo?"

Instead of speaking, Zoro came up behind Sanji and gently slipped his arms around the blonde's narrow waist. Sanji jumped at the first moment of contact and stiffened when Zoro loosely hugged at his midsection. He stood rigid, apparently unable to decide whether he wanted to kick Zoro in the head, or to kick him in the shin. This was a good sign; if Sanji were really mad, then he'd be curled in pain on the floor by now.

Zoro leaned forward and took advantage of this rare moment of peace by tilting his head to snuffle softly at the golden hair behind a delicate ear. Sanji smelled so good - like spices and citrus. Zoro hummed contentedly as he nuzzled his sexy blonde, loving the feel of silken strands against his face. The happy sound rumbled against Sanji's body and elicited an excited shiver that Zoro felt against his chest. Zoro watched in contented amusement as his attentions caused a light blush to spread from Sanji's cheeks to his ears.

"That tickles. Piss off." Sanji squirmed and pulled his head away.

Zoro tightened his hold to prevent escape and placed a soft kiss behind the same ear. "You smell good."

Sanji melted back into his hold just a little. Affection and desire rolled off Zoro in waves, as he did his best to soothe his blonde and encourage him to drop his inner restraints; nothing drastic, just loving caresses and soft kisses. At last, Sanji took a deep breath and lifted a hand to slide it along Zoro's, stopping only to entwine their fingers.

A smile spread across his face as Zoro rested his chin on Sanji's shoulder. He watched Sanji work one-handed for a few minutes of shared silence, but he knew better than to keep pressing his luck. Sanji had apparently gotten over what was bothering him earlier, and that was enough for now.

Sanji shivered at the feeling of loss when Zoro slipped away. He watched over his shoulder as the marimo left as quietly as he came, and vanished into his room... If Zoro had turned back to observe Sanji's expression one last time, he would have seen pain and longing in the big, blue eye watching his every move.


End file.
